Happy July! It’s hot, humid, and the perfect weather for a swim. If you’re swimming in a natural body of water, there’s a good chance that you’ll see some water lilies during your dip. But did you know that these beautiful blooms have been around since the age of the dinosaurs? This flower is ancient, and has a rich history, so let’s dive in!
The water lily has been around since the Early Cretaceous Period, which was 125 million years ago. Back then, dinosaurs roamed the earth. This innocent-looking flower is older than humanity – by a lot! Modern humans originated only around 160,000-6,000 years ago, which means that the water lily is well over 100 million years older than we are. Water lilies are actually some of the first flowering plants to evolve. The delicate nature of the flower makes it extremely difficult for it to fossilize, but it is estimated that water lilies have been around for 115-125 million years. The actual flowers were much smaller than the flowers we know today, but they were still there. The Amazon Water Lily is one of the oldest species of lilies still living today, but there are over 70 species alive all over the world.
The water lily is native to Egypt, and is a huge part of their culture. According to legend, the blue water lily is where the creation of the gods began. Before, there was only chaos, but after the blue water lily emerged from the darkness and bloomed, the sun god Nefertem was born and he created all life.
The first water lily arrived in England in the early part of the 19th century, and it quickly grew in popularity among the nobility. The Duke of Devonshire’s gardener, Joseph Paxton, “discovered” a new hybrid of water lilies that actually occurred by accident. Paxton’s caretaker, Eduard Ortgies, was the first person in the UK to deliberately create a water lily hybrid. In 1876, Edmund Sturtevant was the first American to create hybrids in the United States.
A common misconception about water lilies is that they are the same thing as a lotus. This is false. The Egyptian blue water lily is called a lotus, but it is really part of the water lily family. The lotus flower belongs to the Nelumbo family, and it’s native to India (it’s actually their national flower!). The way to tell the two apart is that the water lily’s leaves rest on the water, while the lotus’s leaves are actually above the water!
Water lilies represent many different things, including pleasure and peace. Some believe that they symbolise delight and new life, while the blue water lily is the “flower of love,” according to Egyptian culture. Others believe they mean innocence, purity, celebration, rebirth and wellness among other meanings.
So the next time you see a water lily, remember just how old they are, and how important they are to the world. And enjoy your swim!
