Pamplemousses Botanical Garden

The Giant Waterlily (VICTORIA AMAZONICA)

The GIANT WATERLILY was introduced at the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden in Mauritius by CHARLES O'CONNOR in 1927 who was at that time the Director of the garden and ever since Victoria Amazonica has been one of the main attractions of the garden.

Victoria Amazonica, of the Nympheaeceae Family originates from the Amazon Basin in Brazil. These aquatic plants display large leaves with vertical rims.

The diameter of a healthy leave under optimum conditions can reach up to 3 metres. The night blooming flowers are initially white and turning to violet the next day. On the third day, the flower sinks to develop into a seed capsule that can contain arround 500 seeds.

These plants develop spines on the undersurface of the leaves, leaf stalks and seed capsule as a diffensive mechanism against predators.

The Victoria Amazonica is however vulnerable to changes in temperature in regards to germination and development.