Nymphaea odorata W. Aiton ssp. odorata . Subgenus: Nymphaea. Common name: White Waterlily. Phenology: Jun-Sep. Habitat: Ponds, sluggish waters. Distribution: NL (Newfoundland) west to MB, south to FL and TX and n. Mexico; also scattered in the w. United States as an introduction.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: N. odorata is polymorphic, leading to the naming of numerous species, subspecies, and varieties (see synonymy for a few of the named entities). Wiersema in FNA (1997) recognizes ssp. odorata (most of our plants) and ssp. tuberosa (Paine) Wiersema & Hellquist, more western and northern, but edging into our area. Other named entities warrant further evaluation. N. odorata var. gigantea [= Castalia lekophylla Small] occurs on the Coastal Plain, and is considered to differ from var. odorata in its larger leaves (1.5-6 dm in diameter vs. 0.5-2.5 dm), larger flowers (mostly > 15 cm wide vs. mostly < 10 cm), and leaves upturned at the margins (vs. flat). N. odorata var. minor [= Castalia minor (Sims) Nyar] is considered to differ from var. odorata in its generally smaller size, leaves 5-11 cm in diameter, flowers mostly < 8 cm wide (vs. mostly > 9 cm wide); it may be merely a dwarfed form of extremely nutrient-limited waters of the Coastal Plain.
Synonymy ⓘ: = AqW, Ar, Can, FNA3, K4, Mi, NS, NY, POWO, Va, Borsch et al (2014), Borsch et al (2017), Woods et al (2005a), Woods et al (2005b); = Nymphaea odorata Aiton — GrPl, GW2, Il, NE, Tat; > Castalia lekophylla Small — S; > Castalia minor (Sims) Nyar — S; > Castalia odorata (Aiton) Wood — S; < Nymphaea odorata Aiton — Fl2, Mo3, NcTx, Pa, RAB, Tx, WH3, WV; > Nymphaea odorata Aiton var. gigantea Tricker — C, F, G; > Nymphaea odorata Aiton var. godfreyi D.B.Ward; > Nymphaea odorata Aiton var. minor Sims; > Nymphaea odorata Aiton var. odorata — F, G; >< Nymphaea odorata Aiton var. odorata — C; > Nymphaea odorata Aiton var. stenopetala Fernald — F; Nymphaea odorata Aiton. Basionym: Nymphaea odorata Aiton 1789
Links to other floras: = Nymphaea odorata ssp. odorata - FNA3
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Great Plains: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Midwest: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Northcentral & Northeast: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© J.W. Hardin | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© J.W. Hardin | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something wrong or missing on about Nymphaea odorata ssp. odorata? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months. If a species is not keyed, that's because keying is ongoing. Please don't send us feedback about unkeyed species.
Horticultural Information
Intro: An aquatic perennial with fragrant, floating flowers found in ponds and other sluggish waters.
Stems: Stems grow toward the surface from thick rhizomes in bottom mud of a pond.
Leaves: Leaves floating, rounded, up to 11 in. wide and deeply cleft at the base; green above with a waxy coating, reddish-brown below.
Inforescence: Flowers borne singly.
Flowers: also float at the surface and are radially symmetric, consisting of many white or pink, sword-shaped petals and prominent yellow stamens; they open by day and close at night.
Fruits: Fruit a fleshy, globular berry that matures underwater.
Comments: N. odorata is polymorphic, leading to the naming of numerous species, subspecies, and varieties.
Height:
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: An aquatic perennial with fragrant, floating flowers found in ponds and other sluggish waters.
stems: Stems grow toward the surface from thick rhizomes in bottom mud of a pond.
leaves: Leaves floating, rounded, up to 11 in. wide and deeply cleft at the base; green above with a waxy coating, reddish-brown below.
inflorescence: Flowers borne singly.
flowers: also float at the surface and are radially symmetric, consisting of many white or pink, sword-shaped petals and prominent yellow stamens; they open by day and close at night.
fruits: Fruit a fleshy, globular berry that matures underwater.
comments: N. odorata is polymorphic, leading to the naming of numerous species, subspecies, and varieties.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
0 unsaved edits on this page.