PlantWatch

Water lily, White (Nymphaea odorata)

Photo by Dan Sokolowski

French name: nénuphar blanc
Bloom time: June to September
Report for: ON, QC

General: A freshwater perennial herb with large, round leaves and showy, fragrant blossoms.

Leaves & Twigs: The white flowers (7–12 cm in diameter) have many petals surrounding the reproductive parts. The blossoms open in the morning and close in the early afternoon; they may also close on cloudy days. Each blossom lasts two-to-five days. When the flowers close on the last day, the stalk 'corkscrews,' drawing the developing fruit below the water.

Flowers & Fruit: Twinflowers have tiny (9-16 mm) pink, bell-shaped flowers that occur in pairs on Y-shaped stalks. The dry, one-seeded fruits have small hooks to help their dispersal. After the flowers and fruits have faded, the evergreen leaves remain on the plant, often hidden under the winter snow.

Habitat:Water lilies prefer quiet waters such as ponds, lake margins and slow streams. They root in the mucky bottoms, and grow upwards 2–2.5 m to the surface of the water.

Sampling: Select a patch of plants with at least 10-to-20 leaves that you can monitor each year.

To Observe:

• First bloom: when the first flower is open in the observed plants
• Mid bloom: when five of the flowers are open in the observed plants.