Victoria cruziana 80 cm. Cast of real leaf.
This Santa Cruz water lily, water platter, or yrupe, is a tropical species of flowering plant, of the family of water lilies native to South America, primarily Argentina and Paraguay. The plant is a popular water garden plant in botanical gardens all over the world, where its impressive leaves can reach their fullest, up to 2 m wide with a thick rim up to 20 cm high! These green leaves lie flat on the water surface, with a pie-looking crust edge, that is folded upwards in the air.
A 25 cm diameter flower blooms for two days, arising from the underwater bud, as a white flower that turns to a deep pink on the second and final day of its bloom.
The genus name was given in honour of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.