Kew Gardens recently released a video showcasing the slow growth of a giant water lily with leaves measuring over 3 meters in diameter.
Victoria boliviana at Kew Gardens.
The water lily belongs to the species Victoria boliviana, which was discovered in July 2022 at Kew Gardens in London, originating from its home in the Llanos de Moxos wetlands of Bolivia. This giant plant was awarded three Guinness World Records on January 30, including the largest water lily, the largest water lily leaf, and the largest single leaf.
The leaves of the V. boliviana slowly grow to their massive size in a time-lapse video captured by Kew Gardens. At maximum size, the leaves reach a diameter of 3.2 meters, comparable to the average size of an American alligator. When the leaf edges are flattened, the surface area measures 7.6 square meters. The record specimen was measured at the La Rinconada ecological park in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, on February 3, 2012, but was only first described by scientists in the journal *Frontiers in Plant Science* on July 4, 2022. This is the largest single leaf ever recorded by researchers.
Video: Kew
Carlos Magdalena, a tropical horticulturist at Kew, suspected the water lily was a new species in 2006 and cultivated it from seeds donated from Bolivia. This marks the first time a giant water lily has been grown from seed.
“After suspecting the existence of a third species in the genus Victoria for many years, it is fantastic to see Victoria boliviana recognized with Guinness records. I am thrilled to contribute to the discovery of a new species and to be part of the global collaborative project between the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and partners including the National Herbarium of Bolivia, the Santa Cruz de La Sierra Botanic Garden, and the La Rinconada Gardens,” Magdalena shared.
