Water lily - Suiren (English spelling) water lily

Japanese: スイレン - すいれん（英語表記）water lily

An aquatic plant of the Nymphaeaceae family (APG classification: Nymphaeaceae), genus Nymph. The scientific name comes from the goddess nymph in Greek and Roman mythology. The underground rhizome is thick and horseradish-like, crawling through the ground underwater and spreading many thick roots underground. The leaves are glossy, entire, with long petioles, and usually float on the water surface. There are many stomata on the upper surface of the leaves. The flowering season is from mid-April to early September, and the flowers are surrounded by four sepals, with many stamens in the center of the double petals. The petals open and close in a cross shape along with the sepals in the morning and evening. There are about 40 species distributed in the temperate and tropical zones of the Northern Hemisphere, and the current horticultural species were improved and created by crossing these species.

Temperate water lilies are highly cold-resistant and come in varieties with red, pink, white, yellow and other flower colors, as well as tiny varieties such as the dwarf water lily. In Japan, there is one species of water lily that grows wild in ponds and swamps.

Tropical water lilies are generally called tropical water lilies, and there are many varieties that are larger than temperate species. Some have tuberous underground stems, and the flowers come in a wide variety of colors, including nocturnal and fragrant varieties. The main varieties are the day-flowering Enchantment (pink), Pink Pearl (pink), and Trail Blazer (yellow), as well as the nocturnal Mrs. G. C. Hitchcock (pale pink) and Pride of California (red). The flower stalks grow 20 to 30 centimeters above the water surface, and the flowers bloom at the top of the stalk.

[Keiji Kanda June 19, 2018]

Cultivation

They are propagated by dividing the plant into separate pieces. Temperate species are planted from late March to early April, while tropical species are planted one month later, waiting until the water temperature rises, when new shoots at the growing point appear. Clayey alluvial soil is best. They can be planted directly in ponds or aquariums, but it is easier to manage them by planting them in pots and submerging the pots. If the plant is not in a location with enough sunlight, flower buds will not form well. The water should be 10 to 20 centimeters deep, but if the water is not shallow when planting, the water temperature will drop and the flowers will not bloom well. Base fertilizer is a mixture of 2 parts oil cake, 1 part bone meal, and 1 part straw ash. Mix about 3% of the soil 20 days or more before planting and allow to blend. As top dressing, insert dried sardines into the soil 2 or 3 times during growth. In summer, the leaves grow thick and wither, so remove the damaged leaves. Tropical species are dug up in winter, planted together in sand, and stored indoors in aquariums or other containers.

[Keiji Kanda June 19, 2018]

Cultural history

Water lilies were sacred in ancient Egypt, and the god Osiris, who wore a crown of water lilies, was a symbol of resurrection. Blue water lilies, the sacred color of ancient Egypt, were depicted in offerings to the gods of the 4th Dynasty (2600-2450 BC), and a blue water lily with a 50cm flower stalk and many white water lilies used in flower crowns and garlands were found in the coffin of Ramses II of the 19th Dynasty (reigned 1250-1235 BC). In everyday life, flowers were arranged in water basins, and women attended banquets holding water lilies that had been given to them. The name "Nymphaea" (water lily) comes from the fact that the flower blooms in the morning and closes in the afternoon, which is likened to sleeping, but the opening and closing times vary depending on the variety. The sheep's laurel tree, which grows wild in Japan, blooms at the hour of the sheep (1:00-3:00 pm) and closes at 5:00-6:00 pm.

[Hiroshi Yuasa June 19, 2018]

Water Lily
The underground rhizomes crawl through the ground underwater and grow many thick roots underground. The long petioles and shiny leaves usually float on the water surface. The flowering season is from mid-April to early September. ©Shogakukan Photo by Hideyuki Asakura ">

Water Lily

Water lily flower
The flower is surrounded by four sepals and has many stamens in the center of the double petals. ©Shogakukan Photo by Masatoshi Hirose ">

Water lily flower

Water hyacinth
The only water lily that grows wild in Japan. The leaves are oval and deeply incised at the base, and float on the water surface. In July and August, white flowers with many petals bloom on the water surface. ©Shogakukan Photo by Fujio Aoyama ">

Water hyacinth

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

スイレン科（APG分類：スイレン科）スイレン属の水生植物。学名はギリシア・ローマ神話にある女神ニンフに由来する。地下根茎は太く、ワサビ状で水中の地面をはい、太い根を多数地中に伸ばす。葉は光沢があり全縁、長い葉柄があり、通常は水面に浮かぶ。気孔は葉の上面に多い。花期は4月中旬～9月上旬、花は4枚の萼片(がくへん)に包まれ、八重咲きの花弁の中心に多数の雄しべがある。花弁は萼片とともに十文字に朝夕開閉する。北半球温帯および熱帯に約40種分布し、現在の園芸種はこれらの種類の交雑により改良、作出された。

　温帯産のスイレンは耐寒性が強く、花色が赤、桃、白、黄色などの品種があり、ヒメスイレンなどごく小形な種類もある。日本には池や沼に野生するヒツジグサ1種が自生する。

　熱帯産のスイレンは一般にネッタイスイレンとよばれ、温帯種より大形で多くの品種がある。地下茎が塊茎状のものもあり、花色は豊富で、夜開性のものや芳香種もある。おもなものは、昼開性のエンチャントメント（桃色）、ピンクパール（桃色）、トレイル・ブレーザー（黄色）などや、夜開性のミセス・G・C・ヒチコック（淡桃色）、プライド・オブ・カリフォルニア（赤色）などである。花茎は水面上に20～30センチメートル伸び、茎頂に花をつける。

［神田敬二　2018年6月19日］

栽培

株分け、分球によって繁殖する。植え付けは温帯種は3月下旬～4月上旬で、熱帯種は水温の高まるのを待ち、1か月遅れとし、成長点の新芽の発芽部が出る程度に植える。用土は粘質の沖積土がよく、直接池や水槽などに植える場合もあるが、鉢植えにして鉢ごと沈めておくほうがあとの管理がしやすい。栽培場所は十分に日が当たらないと花芽の着生が悪くなる。水深は10～20センチメートルとするが、植え付け時は浅水にしないと水温が下がり、花つきが悪くなる。元肥は油かす2、骨粉1、藁(わら)灰1の割合に混ぜ、植え付けの20日以上前に用土の3％ほどを混入し、土となじませておく。追肥は生育時に2、3回煮干しを土中に差し込む。夏は葉が茂り、枯れ葉が出るので傷んだ葉を除去する。熱帯種は冬は掘り上げ、まとめて砂植えにし、水槽などに入れ室内に保存する。

［神田敬二　2018年6月19日］

文化史

スイレンは古代エジプトで神聖視され、スイレンの花冠をかぶったオシリスの神は復活のシンボルであった。古代エジプトの聖なる色をした青いスイレンは第4王朝（前2600～前2450）の神への捧(ささ)げ物のなかに描かれ、第19王朝のラムセス2世（在位前1250～前1235）の棺からは、50センチメートルの花茎のついた青いスイレンと、花冠や花輪に使われた多数の白いスイレンがみいだされた。日常の生活でも、水鉢に花がいけられ、女性は渡されたスイレンの花を手にして宴席に臨んだ。スイレンは睡蓮(すいれん)の意味で、朝開花し、午後に花を閉じるのを、睡(ねむ)ると見立てて名づけられたが、その開閉時間は品種によってまちまちである。日本に自生するヒツジグサは未(ひつじ)の刻（午後1～3時）に花を開き、夕方の5～6時に花を閉じる。

［湯浅浩史　2018年6月19日］

スイレン

スイレンの花

ヒツジグサ

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