About

The Yellow water-lily is a common plant of still or slow-moving water and grows in ponds, lakes, canals and ditches. It has large, lily-pad leaves that are up to 40cm across, and grows in water up to 3m deep; the leaves and flowers float at the surface, while the rest of the plant is submerged, growing from the mud at the bottom. It flowers during the summer, from June to September, and smells like the dregs of wine, hence other common names like 'Brandy Bottle'. Water-lilies are good plants to add to a wildlife-friendly pond, providing shelter for frogs and early nectar for insects.