Water lilies are plants that grow in still or slowly moving water. They like ponds, streams, and the edges of lakes in tropical and mild areas. Their floating leaves are often called lily pads. Frogs like to sit on them.
Water lilies grow from the muddy bottom of a body of water. Thick underwater stems are buried in the mud. Long stalks reach up from the stems to support the round, waxy leaves. Some leaves grow to 6 feet (2 meters) across. The leaves usually float on the surface, but sometimes they are underwater.
A single flower blooms at the end of each stalk. The flowers are shaped like stars or cups. They can be white, cream, pink, yellow, red, orange, purple, or blue. Some flowers open only in the morning. Others open only in the evening. For example, the Egyptian lotus has white flowers that bloom in the night and stay open only until midday.
Water lily plants also produce a fruit. It looks like a nut or a berry. Inside are seeds. When the fruit opens the seeds sink or float away to produce new plants.
Water lilies provide shade and hiding places for fish and other water animals. Fish, ducks, and other animals eat them, too. Some people grow water lilies in garden ponds.