An aquatic plant found in shallow freshwater ponds in all mainland states.

Swamp Lily - Ottelia ovalifolia - Photo by Bill Hinton

The petioles grow just long enough to allow the thick fleshy oval leaves to rest upon the surface of the water. In the tropics, flowers appear throughout most of the year. The opaque veins give the almost transparent petals a softly pleated appearance.

A picturesque aquatic garden could be established with SWAMP LILY, GIANT WATER LILY (Nymphaea gigantea), MARSHWORT (Nymphoides indica), the small free-floatin, green to deep reddish FERNY AZOLLA (Azolla pinnata), combined with other native aquatic plants, such as sedges, reeds and grasses.

Gathering the seeds from within the spathe, which remains attached to the peduncle (flower stalk). As the fruits mature the peduncle bends over until the fruits are submerged. The spathe is beneath the water when the fruits ripen and eventually disintegrates, releasing the mature seed. The seeds are narrow and measure about 2.5 to 3mmin length, and are covered with numerous fine appressed hairs. Gathering the seed could prove to be an interesting exercise in itself!