Water lilies are immortalized in Claude Monet famous painting with the same name. Commonly known as the ‘American white water lily’, this popular flowering plant belongs to the family of ‘Nymphaeaceae’. The term water lily is also referred to the family of lotus which is known as ‘Nelumbonaceae’. Water lilies are perennial plants which grow in water in ponds and in water basins.

This pristine flower, in fact, thrives well in fresh standstill water. It stands solitary on a long stalk and contains numerous spiral shaped petals with narrowing ends and a yellow centre. The flowers are highly regarded for their sweet fragrance. The flowers usually bloom after three months of plantation. The bud breaks into bloom in the early dawn. The flower lasts for three to four days till the time pollination is over.

The plant bears leaves which are flat, in the shape of a sphere with a waxy upper surface which cannot even hold a drop of water. The top of the leaf is green in colour while the inner side is purple. The fruit is spongy and grows under the water and bears a maximum of 2000 seeds.