Be amazed at one of the world’s biggest waterlily species
BEST TIME: January – March
The natural world contains many rare, beautiful and amazing plants including the giant waterlilies that originate from the Amazon basin. At the gardens we grow the Victoria Cruziana waterlily, which is slightly smaller than it’s cousin, the Victoria Amazonica made famous by David Attenborough in his series “Secret Life of Plants”. The Victoria Cruziana is native to the subtropical regions of South America and grows in a slightly cooler habitat to its cousin. It produces very large lily pads that reach 1.4 – 1.8 metres in diameter. So big, they can hold the weight of a child or small adult. The leaves (lily pads) feature a smooth green top with high sides. However, the underside of leaves and stalks are covered in large razor-sharp spines that can seriously injure a human!
WE DON’T ALLOW VISITORS TO TOUCH OR SIT ON THE GIANT WATERLILY.
