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Nymphaea tuberosa - Paine.

Common Name Tuberous Water Lily, American white waterlily
Family Nymphaeaceae
USDA hardiness 3-7
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Mainly alkaline ponds, lakes and sluggish streams and rivers, usually in very oozy sediments at elevations of 100 - 400 metres[270].
Range Eastern N. America - Ontario and Quebec south to Kansas and Oklahoma.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (3 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Water Plants Full sun
Nymphaea tuberosa Tuberous Water Lily, American white waterlily


www.flickr.com/photos/chinasaur
Nymphaea tuberosa Tuberous Water Lily, American white waterlily
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 2

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 
Nymphaea tuberosa is a PERENNIAL.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Flies, beetles. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It can grow in water.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

 Pond;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Root  Seed
Edible Uses:

Seed - cooked[159, 177]. The seed can be ground into a powder and used as a flour or fried and used like popcorn[183]. The root is rich in starch, oil and protein[183]. The bitter tasting tuber is occasionally eaten[105, 159, 177, 183]. The bitterness can be reduced somewhat by leaching the root in water.

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Alterative  Anodyne  Antiseptic  Astringent  Demulcent  Dysentery

The following notes are the medicinal uses of N. odorata. It is said that this species can be used interchangeably[238]. The root is alterative, anodyne, antiseptic, astringent and demulcent[4, 21, 165, 238]. A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of TB, chronic bronchial complaints, diarrhoea, dysentery, gastrointestinal inflammation, gonorrhoea, vaginal discharge, inflamed glands, mouth sores and to stop bleeding[222, 238]. A poultice made from the roots is used in the treatment of swellings, boils, tumours, inflamed skin, vaginitis etc[222, 238]. The roots are harvested in the autumn once the plant has died down, and are dried for later use[238]. A complete cure of uterine cancer by a decoction and uterine injection has been recorded[4].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

Scented Plants

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

A water plant requiring a rich soil and a sunny position in still or slowly moving water[56, 200]. Succeeds in water from 30 - 120cm deep[200]. Prefers a pH between 6 and 7[200]. There are two basic types of plant in this genus (this species is a crawler):- 'crawlers' are species with horizontal roots that often spread freely, with new plants being formed at intervals along the root. These species are useful for naturalising, but they do not flower very freely in the cool summers of Britain[214]. 'clumpers' have vertical roots, they form slowly spreading clumps and produce offsets around the crown. These forms flower much more freely in Britain[214]. The flowers have a fruity perfume like that of ripe apples[245]. The variety rosea is more strongly fragrant[245].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse in pots submerged under 25mm of water. Prick out into individual pots as soon as the first true leaf appears and grow them on in water in a greenhouse for at least two years before planting them out in late spring. The seed is collected by wrapping the developing seed head in a muslin bag to avoid the seed being lost. Harvest it 10 days after it sinks below the soil surface or as soon as it reappears[200]. Division in May. Each portion must have at least one eye. Submerge in pots in shallow water until established[56].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Québec (south), Ontario (south), Manitoba (southeast)), United States (Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Illinois, Oklahoma, Wisconsin)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Euryale feroxFoxnut, EuryalePerennial1.0 7-10  LMHNWa32 
Nuphar advenaCommon Spatterdock, Yellow pond-lily, Varigated yellow pond-lilyPerennial0.0 3-7  LMHSNWa320
Nuphar japonicum Perennial0.0 5-9  LMHSNWa31 
Nuphar luteaYellow Water Lily, Yellow pond-lily, Rocky Mountain pond-lily, Varigated yellow pond-lilyPerennial0.0 4-8  LMHSNWa32 
Nuphar polysepalaSpatterdock, Rocky Mountain pond-lilyPerennial1.8 4-8  LMHSNWa31 
Nuphar pumilaYellow pond-lilyPerennial0.0 0-0  LMHSNWa31 
Nymphaea albaWhite Water Lily, European white waterlilyPerennial0.0 4-8  LMHNWa32 
Nymphaea candida Perennial0.0 4-8  LMHNWa22 
Nymphaea odorataFragrant Water Lily, American white waterlilyPerennial0.0 4-8  LMHNWa330
Nymphaea tetragonaPygmy Water LilyPerennial0.0 -  LMHNWa20 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Author

Paine.

Botanical References

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Subject : Nymphaea tuberosa  
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