Summer flowers in Japan: water lilies

Water lilies are a type of aquatic flowering plant. It is completely separate to lilies, they aren't even in the same flower family. They are also separate to lotus, which many people confuse them for. Although, the scientific name for the genus of family of the water lily and the lotus do sound very similar. Water lilies belong to the Nymphaeaceae family and lotus belong to the Nelumbonaceae family.

I find water lilies are quite overlooked in Japan. The lotus get all the attention when it comes to aquatic flowering plants! After the lotus, the water hyacinth are probably the most beloved. But water lilies have an elegant beauty of their own. I like how their leaves sit on the water, almost like a plate. Their flowers of bright pink or white create a stunning contrast to both their green leaves and the blue or green water they sit on. 

Water lilies actually start to bloom late in spring in most places. Like the lotus and water hyacinth, they are a long flowering plant and can be seen up to October in some places. But the best time to see them is right now: prime viewing is generally from mid June to mid July.