These water lilies are blooming beautifully at the Botanical Gardens in Chicago. It was a good picture taking day and I couldn't decide which photos I like best to include in this post. Do you have any favorites?
Water lilies prefer calm water and sunny locations. Hardy varieties can survive cold winters as long as their rhizomes are below the 2 foot frost line and do not freeze.
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The leaves are called lily pads. Some of these have turned brown at the edges, which means the plant is reaching maturity.
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Many of the water lilies at the gardens are tropical varieties and are planted in submerged baskets that can be brought indoors to survive the winter. They can be returned outdoors when the water warms up to a reliable temperature in the spring.
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This spectacular water lily is known to have some of the largest leaves in the plant Kingdom. One variety of the giant lily pads, or platters, can reach up to 10ft ( about 3 meters) in diameter. The strong, buoyant leaves can hold a significant amount of weight.
Let me know if you have any particular favorites.
