yellowwaterlily

Yellow water-lily, Nuphar lutea, is a perennial aquatic plant in the family Nymphaeaceae. It is native to Europe and western Asia, and has been introduced to North America where it can naturalize in suitable wetlands. It commonly occurs in ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams.

The plant is rhizomatous and produces floating leaves that are round to heart-shaped with a notch at the base. Leaves typically measure 10–25 cm across; their undersides may be brownish. Flowers are yellow and cup-shaped with numerous petals, rising on short stalks above the water.

Blooming occurs from late spring to summer. The flowers attract bees and other insects. After flowering, the plant creates a spongy fruiting structure that bears many seeds, which disperse via water.

Nuphar lutea grows best in still or slow-moving waters with soft, neutral to calcareous substrates. It can form dense stands that shade and crowd other aquatic plants. The species is adapted to temperate climates and is hardy to frost; in introduced ranges, it can behave aggressively.

In cultivation, yellow water-lily is valued for its ornamental flowers in ponds and water gardens. In regions outside its native range, it is sometimes considered invasive and may be subject to management or control measures.