AMERICAN WATER LILY
Nymphaea odorata
WATER LILY FAMILY (Nymphaeaceae)
Identification
- Flowering time - May, June, July, August, September
- Planted - found only in pond at Camp Brewster
- Large many petaled flower with yellow center floating on water surface
- Large, round floating leaves
The flower has numerous white petals, golden center and green bracts, about the same size as the petals. The flowers, up to 6 inches wide, open for several successive mid-mornings during the period from May through September. The large round leaves are green, generally found growing above the water, and up to 12 inches in diameter. The fruit is a large berry which ripens just below the water surface during August and September.
This lily can be found in the small, fenced-in pond at Camp Brewster, where the leaves are numerous and cover most of this pond. It was probably planted there from seed when this and its surrounding prairie habitat was created.
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