ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Botanical Garden has been cultivating giant Victoria water lilies for well over a century, with the first bloom recorded in 1894.
These aquatic marvels are a perennial summer highlight, staged in several reflecting pools, including those in front of the Climatron conservatory and the Linnean House.
The Garden installed a heating system in its central reflecting pool, allowing horticulturists to transplant Victoria lilies outdoors earlier and extend their growing season.
3 officers arrested, charged after victim beaten at Illinois bar
Last year, the Garden’s water lily horticulturists, Claire Krofft and Greta Berg, discovered the Victoria “Longwood Hybrid” water lilies could hold 142 lbs. This placed first among 17 competing gardens in the 2024 Water Lily Weigh-Off, led by the Denver Botanic Gardens.
The friendly, fun-filled contest invited botanical gardens worldwide to stack weights on their Victoria lily pads to test their strength.
This year, Claire and Great jumped back into the pond to test how much weight the lilies could hold. An astonishing 182 lbs was recorded, which carries on their “Heavy Weight” title.
Thanks for signing up!
Watch for us in your inbox.
Subscribe Now
Daily News
Krofft and Berg attributed this impressive strength to several factors, including Missouri’s hot summer.
While the spring started off on a cool note, Missouri’s summer heat took off almost immediately. The Victoria water lilies are native to the shallow, still waters of the Amazon River basin in tropical South America.
They also attribute its strength to the system of veins that support the leaves on its underside. This aids in floating but acts like a suspension bridge to hold some intense weights.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Comments