Hortus Botanicus Leiden, Netherlands

Common name: Reuzenwaterlelie, Amazon water lily, Royal water lily, Water maize, Giant water lily, Nénuphar géant, nenúfar gigante, nenúfar-do-amazonas

Family: Nymphaeaceae (Water-lily family)

Synonym: Victoria regia

Distribution: Amazon rainforest

Life form: Aquatic

Comments: Victoria amazonica was discovered in 1801 in the Amazon region. The plant only started to receive attention after seeds germinated in England in 1849. The first flower was presented to the young Queen Victoria, hence its name. In 1872 a round greenhouse was built in Leiden, in which a flower appeared that same year on a plant grown from seeds obtained in Amsterdam. The first leaves are round and small, with spines on the red-coloured lower sides of the leaves. When the temperature increases, larger leaves appear with upturned rims. The leaves can support 50 kg due to the fact that their lower side is divided into compartments. The flowers appear in J

Timelapse of the flowering of the Victoria amazonica

Audiotour (Dutch)

Audiotour (English)