Beautiful Flowers That Grow on Lily Pads

Lily pads are iconic aquatic plants that are commonly found floating on the surface of ponds and slow-moving rivers. Their large, circular leaves provide the perfect platform for an array of gorgeous flowers to blossom above the water. While the lily pad itself comes from several plant species in the Nymphaeaceae family, there are many flowers that utilize lily pads as a natural pedestal to showcase their beauty.

Lotus Flowers

One of the most recognizable flowers found blooming on lily pads is the lotus. There are several lotus species with different colored flowers that grow attached to lily pad leaves.

Lotus flowers come in shades of pink white, yellow and red. They have delicate petals that open wide to reveal a round center containing many thin stamens. Lotuses hold deep cultural and spiritual meaning in many Eastern cultures. The sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is the most widely recognized species.

Many parts of the lotus plant are edible. The roots are commonly consumed as a vegetable, while the stems are pickled. Both the seeds and leaves are eaten as well. Lotus flowers, seeds, and leaves are also frequently used in traditional herbal medicines.

Water Lilies

While lotuses are rooted in the mud beneath their lily pads, water lilies actually float freely on the water’s surface. There are around 70 species of water lilies in the Nymphaea genus. Water lilies bloom vibrant flowers in shades of white, pink, yellow, orange and red.

Some water lily species only bloom at night. Many only open for a few days before the flowers sink below the water as they expire. This ephemeral blooming makes water lilies appear even more magical. Popular water lily species include:

• Tropical water lilies (Nymphaea genus) – These water lilies do well in warmer waters above 70°F. They bloom impressive flowers that sometimes stand over 5 inches above the water.

• Hardy water lilies (Nuphar genus) – Hardy water lilies thrive in cooler waters and can withstand chillier climates. Their flowers are smaller than tropical water lilies.

• European white water lily (Nymphaea alba)- This fragrant white water lily is found throughout much of Eurasia. Its night-blooming flowers spread wide open to around 4-6 inches in diameter.

• American white water lily (Nymphaea odorata) – Also known as the fragrant water lily, this hardy North American species has a sweet aroma. Its white flowers are around 3-5 inches wide when fully open.

• Lotus water lily (Nymphaea caerulea) – Named for its lotus-like leaves and sky blue flowers, this tropical day-blooming water lily is found in Africa and parts of Asia.

Pickerel Weed

Pickerel weed (Pontederia cordata) is an aquatic plant with long heart-shaped leaves that provide the perfect raft for its spikes of violet-blue flowers. As its name suggests, it’s a favorite hiding spot for small fish like pickerel.

Pickerel weed grows up to 3 feet tall above the water, with flowers blooming throughout the summer months. It spreads readily and creates dense colonies in still, shallow waters throughout North America. Pickerel weed thrives in full sun and helps provide cover for aquatic animals.

Frog’s Bit

Frog’s bit (Limnobium spongia) is an aquatic flowering plant that resembles a miniature water lily. Its small rounded leaves float singly on the water’s surface, each bearing a single tiny white flower that blooms just a few centimeters above.

Frog’s bit flowers have three delicate petals and bloom from June through September. As the flowers fade, they are replaced by small spongy turions that then fall off to produce new plants. A native of the American tropics, frog’s bit grows rampantly and has naturalized throughout much of the southern United States. It spreads rapidly by stolons and can form dense mats that provide fish and frogs shelter.

Spatterdock

Spatterdock, also called yellow pond lily (Nuphar advena), is a native plant found growing in ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams throughout much of North America. Spatterdock has heart-shaped or oval floating leaves. From June to September it produces yellow cup-shaped flowers around 2-3 inches wide that rise above the water.

Spatterdock can spread aggressively via rhizomes and create large colonies that provide shade, shelter, and food for wildlife. Waterfowl feed on its seeds and leaves, while pollinators rely on its nectar. Its blooms add a pop of color along the water’s edge.

Fragrant Water Lily

With its sweet scent and showy white blooms, the fragrant water lily (Nymphaea odorata) brightens ponds and slow streams across North America. Its floating round leaves can grow over 12 inches wide, providing the base for fragrant flowers that open wide in the morning and close at dusk.

Each blossom lasts around 3 days before being replaced. Fragrant water lilies flower from early summer through fall. The flowers rise just above the water’s surface on long stems, with upward facing petals circling bright yellow centers. These hardy water lilies thrive in full sun and can stand winters even in northern climates.

Growing Flowers on Lily Pads

Natural lily pad habitats allow gorgeous blooms to rise up literally from the water. You can also grow lilies and other aquatic flowers on lily pads in backyard ponds. Plant water lilies, lotuses, and pickeral weed in pots, then submerge them in just 1-2 feet of water so their leaves and flowers cascade across the pond’s surface. Include sloped edges to allow marginal plants like frog’s bit to take root in the shallows.

With good sun exposure and proper care to provide ideal water conditions, your man-made lily pad pond can soon be home to nature’s most exquisite floating flowers. Just be sure to contain water lilies within pots, as their spreading growth can quickly overtake a small pond. Sitting waterside with flowering lily pads before you feels truly transporting.