Nymphaea odorata Aiton

Fragrant water lily, beaver root, American white waterlily

About plant names...

Fragrant water lily is native to North and Central America. Beautiful in the wild, and coveted as an ornamental, it is nevertheless considered an invasive in some habitats. Plants spread slowly, but they eventually commandeer large patches of water less than eight feet deep at the expense of other plants.

Identification: Water lilies are instantly recognizable by their 4-12" (10-30 cm), round, flat leaves, often turned up slightly at the edges in order to float. If they are flowering, as they do during the first half of the day, you’ll see their large, very attractive, white (sometimes pink), fragrant blossoms. These iconic blossoms are 5-9" (12-22 cm) around, with 25 or more white petals and yellow centers made up of as many as 70 stamens.

Edibility: Young unrolling leaves and unopened flower buds may be boiled for 5-10 minutes and served buttered.

Online References:

Nymphaea odorata at Illinois Wildflowers

Nymphaea odorata at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Nymphaea odorata on CalPhotos

Nymphaea odorata at the University of Wisconsin's Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium

Nymphaea odorata on Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

Nymphaea odorata at the Washington State Department of Ecology

Nymphaea odorata on Wildflowers of the United States

Nymphaea odorata on eFloras

7/29/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 17 × 15" (42 × 39 cm)

8/8/2010 · Jeff Smith Trail, Beaver Brook Association Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 22 × 15" (56 × 37 cm)

8/2/2010 · Beaver Brook Association Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 21 × 21" (53 × 52 cm)

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 10 × 10" (26 × 24 cm)

7/8/2016 · Dunstable Rural Land Trust, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts

7/11/2012 · Jeff Smith Trail, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3½ × 2½' (1.2 × 0.8 m)

Nymphaea odorata description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

8/21/2013 · Estuary Trail, Shipley Swamp, Westford, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4 × 2½' (1.2 × 0.8 m)

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 31 × 21" (78 × 52 cm)

[Blue flowers are Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata)] · 7/18/2010 · Great Brook Farm State Park, Carlisle, Mass­a­chu­setts ID is uncertain

7/8/2016 · Dunstable Rural Land Trust, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts

7/18/2010 · Great Brook Farm State Park, Carlisle, Mass­a­chu­setts ID is uncertain

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 31 × 21" (78 × 52 cm)

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire

7/26/2009 · By Jacquelyn Boyt

Range:

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