Astounding Works

Victoria Lily Pads
(Photo Source: http://www.clovegarden.com)

ASTOUNDING VICTORIAS!

Victoria amazonica is a water lily found growing in the Amazon River and other tropical waters.  The reason it is called astounding is because these purple tinged leaves grow as much as 6 ft or more across and have upturned edges 2 or 3 inches high. Victorias have a dinner plate sized flower which blooms at night and gives off a pineapple-like fragrance. The first night the bloom is white.  The second night it turns pink or purple and the third night it is gone, somehow pulled below the surface to await it’s seeds to mature.
Victorias reproduce themselves from seeds.

It is said one of these lily pads is strong enough to hold a grown man! I am not sure whether anyone has ever really done so,however,because he would have to sit carefully to avoid being injured by the stems and leaf veins because Victorias are armed with razor sharp spines that have a substance in them that prevents blood from coagulating.
These truly astounding tropical beauties were named for Queen Victoria in 1837 by famous English botanist, John Lindley.
They are just one of the many wondrous works of God !

As I think about these astounding plants which grow in the tropical areas of the Amazon mostly un-noticed by the world, the saying “Bloom Where You Are Planted” comes to mind.

These astounding, beautiful waterlilies live and bloom day after day.
Should we not also do the same? Shouldn’t we “bloom” whether anyone sees us or not?
Our blooms might be a smile, an encouraging word or a helping hand.  Whatever we do that causes us to “bloom” we should do so anytime, anywhere. For the Lord has a plan and purpose for everything He creates and He is pleased to see it bloom wherever it is planted, whether it is a water lily in the Amazon River or a person someplace in Oregon.

Click here to read a beautiful poem by Eva May Young titled “Bloom Where You Are Planted”
http://www.skywriting.net/inspirational/poems/bloom_where_you_are_planted.html

For more information on the Victoria Waterlily visit these links:
UofA Plant of the Week
http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/victoria_waterlily_8-12-05.htm

Victoria-The Reigning Queen of Waterlilies
http://www.virtualherbarium.org/gardenviews/victoriaamazonica.html