Giant Water Lily

Lily pads strong enough to hold a small child/Plants

The giant water lily (Victoria amazonica) of the Amazon basin produces the largest lily pads of any plant, reaching up to 3 meters in diameter. The pads have upturned rims up to 20 cm tall and an underside reinforced with radial ribs that inspired the design of the Crystal Palace in 1851. A single pad can support up to 45 kg of evenly distributed weight. The flowers bloom white on the first night, then turn pink on the second, and each flower can be 40 cm across.