Nymphaea odorata
white waterlily, american waterlily, american white waterlily, american white water lily, fragrant white water lily, fragrant water lily, white water lily, fragrant white waterlily, sweet-scented white water lily, sweet-scented water lily
Family
Nymphaeaceae
Leaf Arrangement
alternate
Leaf Attachment
petiolate
Leaf Margin
entire, cleft
Leaf Type
simple
Leaf Shape
peltate, suborbicular
Growth Form
forb, floating aquatic, aquatic
Flower Color
pink, white
Flower Petals
many
Flower Month
March - October
Milky Sap
Yes
Armed/Unarmed
Unarmed
Origin
native
Lifespan
perennial
Wetland Class
OBL
Wetland Coefficient of Conservatism
7
Field Characters
White flowered waterlily with floating leaves. Leaf with cleft, peltate. 20+ white petals, sweet smell (subspecies N. tuberosa does not smell).
Habitat
Ponds, lakes, slow streams, ditches.