Pygmy water-lily

Pygmy water-lily is one of the smallest species in the water-lily family Nymphaeaceae and is admired for its delicate beauty and ability to thrive in calm freshwater habitats such as ponds lakes and slow-moving streams it is native to parts of North America Europe and Asia with a distribution that extends into cooler regions making it highly adaptable to different climates the plant is characterized by its small floating leaves.

Which are usually round or slightly oval in shape with a smooth texture and green upper surface while the underside may have a reddish or purplish hue the flowers are relatively small compared to other water-lilies typically measuring about 2 to 5 centimeters in diameter they have pure white petals sometimes with a yellowish center and bloom above the water surface on slender stalks the blooms open during the day and close at night and the flowering season generally extends from late spring to early autumn.

Pygmy water-lily is a perennial aquatic plant that anchors itself to the muddy substrate at the bottom of the water body through long flexible stems and rhizomes allowing the leaves and flowers to float on the surface it plays an important ecological role by providing habitat and shelter for aquatic insects frogs and fish fry while also helping to maintain water quality by shading the water and reducing algae growth the plant prefers full sun for optimal blooming but it can tolerate partial shade and it thrives in nutrient-rich but not overly polluted waters in garden.