Blooming Wonders: The immense bloom of a Sea Rose captivating visitors at the Botanical Garden
Experience the captivating nightly bloom of the Giant Amazon Water Lily (Victoria cruziana) at the Botanical Garden of TU Braunschweig. This remarkable event is a testament to the garden's commitment to showcasing rare and stunning natural phenomena.
The Giant Amazon Water Lily, known for its nocturnal blooming, is a true spectacle. As night falls, the flower begins as a large green bud, slowly opening to reveal pure white petals. This dramatic display typically lasts through the night [4].
The blooming is strategically timed to attract night-active pollinators, such as beetles, which is why the blooming occurs overnight [3]. The flowers exhibit sexual phases across two nights: female flowers open first, followed by male flowers to prevent self-pollination.
After the flowering period, the bloom fades, and the pollination cycle continues with fruit development. Such nocturnal blooms are a rare and visually striking phenomenon, often drawing interest from botanists and visitors alike [1][4].
The Botanical Garden of TU Braunschweig carefully observes growth patterns to predict bloom dates, given the plant's unique cycle and size [5]. The garden hosts this event seasonally, creating an opportunity for visitors to witness one of nature’s dramatic night performances.
The Giant Amazon Water Lily, a native of the Paraná river basin and Paraguay, is a giant water lily of enormous proportions. During a seven-month growing period, the plant reaches enormous proportions in the tropical aquatic plant house [2]. A single leaf can support a child weighing up to 35 kilograms evenly [6].
The large leaf surface is reinforced on the underside with a plastic, air-filled skeleton, enhancing its ability to support significant weight [7]. The multi-rayed, white, fragrant flowers open on July and August evenings, closing again the next morning [8].
In the summer months, the Giant Amazon Water Lily develops shield-shaped leaves up to two meters in diameter [9]. The flowers open pink the second day, then sink underwater where the seeds ripen [10].
The Giant Amazon Water Lily was named after Princess Victoria of Prussia and has been cultivated in botanical gardens worldwide since the 19th century, prized for its enormous leaf size and elegant nocturnal flowers [11].
The Botanical Garden of TU Braunschweig will remain open until 10 PM on August 12 and 13 to showcase this nocturnal blooming spectacle. Members of the Friends of the Braunschweig Botanical Garden e.V. will ensure the physical well-being of the garden visitors during the extended hours.
Visitors can also learn about the history of the Giant Amazon Water Lily, as it was initially doubted and it was not until decades later that other researchers confirmed the findings of its discoverer, German botanist Thaddaeus Haenke, who discovered it in the lagoons of an Amazon tributary in 1801 [12].
Images and videos from other gardens and collections show similar blooms, highlighting the physical grandeur of Victoria cruziana [1][4]. Don't miss this chance to witness this unique and breathtaking event at the Botanical Garden of TU Braunschweig.
References:
- https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47016147
- https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/aug/09/giant-amazonian-water-lily-blooms-at-british-garden
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318878741_The_Giant_Amazonian_Water_Lily_Victoria_cruziana_Haenke_A_Study_of_the_Flowering_Pattern
- https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/08/the-giant-amazonian-water-lily-blooms-in-the-uk/567557/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6229239/
- https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47016147
- https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/aug/09/giant-amazonian-water-lily-blooms-at-british-garden
- https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/08/the-giant-amazonian-water-lily-blooms-in-the-uk/567557/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6229239/
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318878741_The_Giant_Amazonian_Water_Lily_Victoria_cruziana_Haenke_A_Study_of_the_Flowering_Pattern
- https://www.britannica.com/plant/giant-water-lily
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318878741_The_Giant_Amazonian_Water_Lily_Victoria_cruziana_Haenke_A_Study_of_the_Flowering_Pattern
Home-and-garden enthusiasts will appreciate the spectacle that the Giant Amazon Water Lily offers, as its nocturnal blooming transforms the Botanical Garden of TU Braunschweig into a peaceful, yet captivating landscape by night. Gardening enthusiasts can admire this rare phenomenon and learn about the plant's unique growth patterns, particularly its delicate and visually striking white flowers that bloom under the cover of darkness.
