Home - News - The largest water lily in the world is in bloom at the Botanical Garden of Lobachevsky University

19 September 2016

 

In the year of the 100th anniversary of Lobachevsky University, a unique Amazonian Victoria, the largest waterlily in the world, has bloomed at the UNN Botanical Garden.

On average, this huge water lily lives in the wild for about two to three years, and is famous for its magnificent lotus-like flower. Its flowering takes place for only two days, and the fragrance exuded by the Amazonian Victoria varies with time. On the day when the flower opens for the first time, one can feel a subtle apricot fragrance. At night, the flowers close, and when they open again on the second day, they demonstrate an aroma with the notes of lilac. For a long time, attempts to cultivate the Amazonian Victoria were unsuccessful. It is a very fastidious flower that rarely blooms in an artificial environment. At the moment, the Amazonian Victoria (Victoria amazonica) flowers only at two Russian botanical gardens – the Botanical Garden of Lobachevsky University and at the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 

Victoria amazonica is native to the shallow waters of the Amazon River basin in Brazil and Bolivia. It is also found in Guyana in some rivers flowing into the Caribbean Sea.

In 1836, Robert Schomburgk, who conducted research on behalf of the Royal Geographical Society (London), found an unknown plant near Georgetown in the waters of the River Berbice in British Guiana. Based on Shomburgk’s specimens, the plant was later systematized by the British scientist John Lindley. Lindley named the genus after the new Queen, Victoria, and the species Victoria regia. In the 20th century, the name was superseded by its current version, Victoria amazonica.