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The Victoria Amazonica is Guyana’s National Flower and is depicted on the Guyanese Coat of Arms.
Formerly named “Victoria Regia” after Queen Victoria, the name was later changed to Victoria Amazonica. The lily has very large leaves – up to ten feet in diameter that float on the water’s surface on a submerged stalk which is about 26 feet in length.
The flowers are white the first night they are open and become pink on the second night. They are up to sixteen inches in diameter and are pollinated by beetles.
The Victoria Amazonica is the largest water lily in the world.
The photo above was taken in the Rupununi River in Yupukari Village, Central Rupununi Savannahs of Guyana, South America – where the lily grows naturally.