One of the most beautiful plants used in the arrangement of artificial reservoirs, of course, water lily(water lily, overpower-grass). No wonder the botanists named him nymphea (Nimphaea), given in honor of the goddesses of waters, mountains and forests.
Winter-hardy species of water lilies became the ancestors of almost the entire variety of winter-hardy varieties that can remain viable for several months under the ice, but do not tolerate freezing of the rhizome.
Water lilies are attributed to the genus nymphea (Nimphaea) and are included in the family (Nimphaeaceae).
According to the type of fruit, this genus is divided into 2 groups with several subgenuses. One group includes tropical, another winter-hardy water lilies, united in a subgenus Nimphaea... It is represented by 6 types, divided in turn into 3 sections.
Section Chamaenymphaeaconsists of one type - water lily tetrahedralor small(Nimphaea tetragona)... It grows naturally in North America, Canada, Japan, China, Finland, and Russia - from the Kuriles to the Murmansk region, with the exception of the far north and south. Its varieties from Japan and China are more thermophilic than those growing in other countries. The tetrahedral water lily has white or slightly pinkish flowers and medium-sized, finger-like rhizomes with rare lateral processes, which makes it difficult to develop them vegetatively. Flowers open closer to noon, but do not close for a long time. It is one of the smallest species of water lilies and is therefore suitable for small garden ponds with cold water.
Next section, Eucastalia, unites most of the hardy water lilies - 4 species with numerous varieties.
The first kind - white water lily (Nimphaea alba) has white flowers and a horizontal, not rapidly growing rhizome, called Marlianovskoe. It is a European aborigine, found in almost all regions of European Russia, but is more confined to the south, where it grows in reservoirs with stagnant or slowly flowing fresh or slightly saline water. It is sensitive to strong waves, therefore it occupies a fate protected from wind and wave impact, is confined to depths of 50-250 cm, at great depths it reaches the largest sizes. Small specimens develop in shallow water bodies. Natural red-flowered varietywhite water lilies are the most unusual among winter-hardy, mainly white-flowered nymphs. It is also called the Swedish red water lily, as it is naturally found in only two lakes (Fayer and Fagertarn) in Sweden. This water lily loves cold water and bright sunlight. The flower petals are pink-red, the most intense color acquire on the second or third day of flowering. New Zealand varietywater lilies whitehas larger white flowers, is thermophilic.
- (Nimphaea alba) has white flowers and a horizontal, not rapidly growing rhizome, called Marlianovskoe. It is a European aborigine, found in almost all regions of European Russia, but is more confined to the south, where it grows in reservoirs with stagnant or slowly flowing fresh or slightly saline water.
It is sensitive to strong waves, therefore it occupies a fate protected from wind and wave impact, is confined to depths of 50-250 cm, at great depths it reaches the largest sizes. Small specimens develop in shallow water bodies. Natural white water lilies are the most unusual among winter-hardy, mainly white-flowered nymphs. It is also called the Swedish red water lily, as it is naturally found in only two lakes (Fayer and Fagertarn) in Sweden. This water lily loves cold water and bright sunlight. The petals of the flower are pink-red, the most intense color acquire on the second or third day of flowering. white water lilies have larger white flowers, thermophilic.
The second kind - pure white water lily (Nimphaea candida)... It grows in Russia from the Yenisei to the Kaliningrad region. Residents of central Europe and northern Asia can also admire this water lily in nature. However, it forms few small flowers, therefore, to decorate garden ponds, it is better to use other, more decorative species and varieties of white-flowered water lilies.
- (Nimphaea candida). It grows in Russia from the Yenisei to the Kaliningrad region. Residents of central Europe and northern Asia can also admire this water lily in nature. However, it forms few small flowers, therefore, to decorate garden ponds, it is better to use other, more decorative species and varieties of white-flowered water lilies.
Name third kind water lilies are due to the delicious aroma exuding it, - fragrant water lily (Nimphaea odorata)... This species grows in North and South America in a wide range at winter minimum temperatures (thermolabile) from -30 to + 2 ° C. The rhizome of this species differs from the rhizomes of other species and is distinguished into a separate type, which received the name odorato-type... It is a fast-growing horizontal rhizome with firmly attached lateral branches (eyes). View Nimphaea odorata has several varieties, differing in plant size (from almost dwarfs to giants) and flower color - from pure white to pink.
Rhizome similar to odoraterhizome, It has fourth type - knobby water lily (Nimphaea tuberosa)... Its rhizome grows horizontally and very quickly. Unlike odorato-type, it is thinner, 2-4 cm in diameter, lateral branches (buds, eyes) have a constriction at the point of attachment to the main rhizome (like a bump on a branch), as a result of which they are easily separated from it. The species is confined to the northern regions of the United States. Its decorative qualities are inferior to modern varieties with white flowers.
The last, third section is called Xanthantha and includes only one view - Mexican water lily (Nimphaea mexicana) - with yellow flowers, according to the size of which a form with large flowers was identified from the species - Nimphaea mexicana f. canaveralensis, confined to Cape Canaveral. This water lily has a peculiar rhizome in the form of a small pineapple with outgoing fleshy stolons, at the ends of which tubers are formed in the form of a bunch of bananas, which can overwinter and give rise to a new plant in spring. This species is considered semi-hardy.
Alexander Marchenko,
candidate of biological sciences,
(based on the materials of the magazine "In the world of plants", No. 5, 2006)
