Water lily
Alternative names: Meridianus, cress flower
Family: Nymphaeaceae, Nymphaeum
It grows spontaneously in ponds and swamps in the northern and southern provinces of my country. It is also distributed in Japan, North Korea, India, the former Soviet Union, Siberia and Europe. Perennial aquatic flowers. Rhizome short and thick. The leaves are clustered, with slender petioles, floating on the water, low-quality or nearly leathery, nearly round or ovate-elliptical, 6-11 cm in diameter, entire, hairless, with dark green upper surfaces, and young leaves have brown markings. Dark purple underneath. The flowers are solitary on the top of a slender flower stalk, mostly white, floating in the water, 3-6 cm in diameter. Sepals 4, broadly lanceolate or narrow ovate. The aggregate fruit is spherical and contains many small oval black nuts. The flowering period in the Yangtze River Basin is from mid-May to September, and the fruiting period is from July to October. It is cold-resistant and can survive the winter safely in the Jiangnan area without protection.
It likes strong light, good ventilation, and a pond with sprouting trees on the shore. Although it can bloom, its growth is weak. The soil quality requirements are not strict, with a pH value of 6-8, and they all grow normally, but they like loam soil rich in organic matter.
The depth of the pool water during the growing season should not exceed 80 cm. In the Yangtze River Basin, they germinate from late March to early April, bud in late April or early May, bloom from June to August, have yellow leaves from October to November, and enter the dormant period after November.
Water lily is an ornamental plant with beautiful flowers and leaves. Ancient Greece and Rome originally worshiped the goddess. In the 16th century, Italian parks were mostly used to decorate fountain pools or decorate the exteriors of halls. Nowadays, it is very common to use water lilies as waterscape theme materials in European and American gardens. In my country, it was already used in private gardens in the Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago, such as the five-color water lily pond in the Huoguang Garden of Marquis Bolu. The roots of water lilies can absorb toxic substances such as lead, mercury and phenol in the water, and can also filter microorganisms in the water, so they have a good effect in purifying sewage. The rhizome is rich in starch and can be eaten or used to make wine. The whole plant is suitable for use as green manure and can also be used as medicine.
Water lily (Nymphaea tetragona Georgi)
Water lily, also known as Meridian lily. It belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family and is a perennial aquatic flower. The rhizome is short, thick, upright. The leaves float on the water surface, heart-shaped or broadly oval-shaped, with deeply curved bases, bright green above and purple-red below. The flowers are solitary and floating on the water surface, with many petals in white, pink, red, yellow and other colors. They bloom every morning and close in the afternoon, hence the name Meridian Lotus. The flowering period is from June to September. The berries are surrounded by persistent sepals.
It is native to East Asia and is grown throughout my country. Born in ponds, it likes sunlight and humus-rich clay.
The flowers and leaves of water lilies are beautiful. In addition to being used for ornamental purposes, their rhizomes are edible or medicinal.
On a hot summer day, the breeze blows, the blue waves ripple, and clusters of beautiful water lilies dance lightly with their leaves. Their figures are charming, just like the Lingbo fairy. Hengtang Road, but watching, the fragrance goes away", "Easy as a god, walking slightly on the waves" and other ancient poems.
Water lily is a perennial aquatic herb of the Nymphaeaceae family. It is also known as Meridian lily, water lily, cress flower, etc. The flowers and leaves are floating on the water surface. The leaves are round and shield-shaped, with green leaves and purple backs. The flowers come in white, red, pink, yellow, blue, purple and other colors and intermediate colors. The flowering period is from June to August. Each flower can bloom continuously for 4-7 days, and then wither, it gradually curls up and sinks into the water to bear fruit. Because of its beautiful flowers and leaves, rich flower colors and long flowering period, it has always been deeply loved by people.
The scientific name NYMPHAEA of the genus Nymphaea is derived from the Latin NYMPH, which means a fairy living in the water country. In ancient Greece and Rome, water lilies, like lotus flowers in China, were regarded as the embodiment of holiness and beauty. , often used as a sacrifice to the goddess. In the New Testament, there is also a saying that “holy things emerge from the mire but remain unstained”.
In ancient Egypt, water lilies were cultivated more than 2,000 years ago and were regarded as a symbol of the sun and a sacred flower. They were used in dynasty coronation ceremonies, folk carvings and murals throughout the ages. As offerings or decorations, water lilies have been used in gardens for a long time. They appeared in private gardens in the Han Dynasty of China 2,000 years ago. In the 16th century, Italy used it as a waterscape theme material. Because water lily roots can absorb toxic substances such as mercury, lead, and phenol in the water, they are rare plant materials for water purification, so they are highly valued in urban water purification, greening, and beautification construction.
Most water lilies open near noon and close in the evening, so a poet once wrote: "Don't get me wrong, we don't like to sleep, we just don't like the twilight weather, so we close the flowers at night. After midnight, We open very early again, welcoming the rising sun and the arrival of vitality in advance.”
Most water lilies are native to tropical regions in North Africa and Southeast Asia, and a few are produced in the temperate and cold zones of South Africa, Europe and Asia. At present, it is cultivated in all provinces and regions in China. Water lily rhizomes can be eaten or made into wine, and can also be used as medicine to treat chronic convulsions in children.
Water lily is the national flower of Thailand and Bangladesh.