Water lily

Nymphaea tetragona.

The term water lily, nymphaeaceae or lotus is applied, in general, to aquatic plants with flowers that grow in lakes, ponds, ponds, swamps, or slow-flowing streams, usually rooted to the bottom. The water lilies belong to the families Nymphaeaceae, Cabombaceae to the order Nymphaeales; the Nelumbonaceae family of the Proteales order and also the Nymphoides genera of the Menyanthaceae family of the Asterales order and the Hydrocleys genus of the Alismataceae family of the Alismatales order. See each of these three families or one of these two genera for more specific data. The leaves of common water lilies can be of two types:

• The first type is the one with the largest dimensions (usually). Its roots can measure 4.5 or 5 meters long.
• The second type is the leaves that can be seen floating in the water. They are of smaller dimensions generally.

Cultural significance

Representation of the Nymphaea fallulea, known as blue nenúfar, Egyptian blue lotus or Egyptian lotus, symbol of ancient Egypt. Tinajera de la dinastía XVIII, found in Amarna.

The ancient Egyptians revered the Nile water lilies, which they used to call “lotuses” (not to be confused with the lotus genus). The motif of the "lotus" is frequent in the capitals of the 3 columns (lotiform shape) of the Egyptian temples. It blooms at night and closes in the morning, this symbolized the separation of deities and was a motif associated with their beliefs about death and the afterlife. The recent 4 discovery of the psychedelic properties of the Egyptian blue lotus most likely would have been known to the Egyptians and explains its ceremonial role which can be seen in a multitude of representations. Remains of both types of water lilies have been found in the tomb of Ramesses II.

A Syrian terracotta plaque from the 14th century to XIII a. C. shows the goddess Asherah with two lotus flowers. An ivory panel from the 9th century to the VIII a. C. shows the god Horus seated on a lotus flower, flanked by two cherubs.

French painter Claude Monet is famous for his paintings of water lilies.

Cultivation

Many of the familiar water lilies in water gardens are hybrids.

Garden water lilies come from the botanical genus Nymphaea although their name in Spanish derives from another plant with similar characteristics known as Nuphar.

Water lilies develop at the expense of a fleshy stem (rhizome) that lives among the materials accumulated at the bottom of ponds and stagnant shallow water courses. The leaves are of a good size and almost circular in shape with a deep notch that reaches the insertion of the petiole with the blade (flat part). These leaves, like the flowers, are floating and arise directly from the rhizome, to which they are attached by long petioles. The flowers of a good size, even very large, are dressed with a multitude of imbricated petals, forming a kind of bowl in the center of which are the stamens and pistils. The wide range of colors of the flower includes pure white, ivory, cream, pink, red, crimson, copper and yellow in different shades according to varieties. In appropriate situations the emission of flowers is continuous from May to September. The necessary planting depth for the different types of water lilies ranges from 20 cm to 1 meter, while the leaf extension area ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 square meters.