Second year of offering exotic scenery where the flowers bloom over three days
The flowers that bloom on the second day said to look similar to the crown of Queen Victoria, and thus, the flowering process called ‘coronation’
YU Mirror Pond embroidered with rare lotus flowers and water lilies... Frequently visited by students and visitors for a place to relax
[August 7, 2020]
<Victoria Lotus Flowers in blossom at the YU Mirror Pond (left: first day, right: second day of blossom)>
This is the second year where the ‘Victoria Lotus Flowers’ blooming in the YU Mirror Pond for the second straight year.
Victoria lotus flowers are tropical nymphaeaceae plants that grow in the South American Amazon River. In 1836, the British botanist Lindle Lee brought the seeds to England and succeeded in blooming the flower after about 10 years, and it was named Victoria Regia being named after Queen Victoria who just took the throne. Afterwards, its name was changed to Victoria Amazonica and a different species that grow in Paraguay is called Victoria Cruziana.
The Victoria lotus is very popular especially among photographers for the size of its leaves, structures, change in flower gender, scent, and pollination features. In particular, the blooming process called ‘coronation’ is also worthy of attention. Victoria lotus flowers bloom for three days and blooms in the night and closes in the morning. On the first day, it emits a deep pineapple scent from its ivory colored flower, and then goes back to sleep early on the next day, and then on the second night, it become a pink flower with an appearance like a crown. And then it disappears into the water early on the third day. It is said that the flowers that bloom in the second day look similar to the crown of Queen Victoria and the blossoming process is called ‘coronation’.
The Victoria lotus is female on the first day and then turns into a male flower on the second day. In its indigenous habitat, certain inspects are in charge of its pollination, but it has been reported to be very difficult to pollinate in places outside of its original habitat. The Victoria flowers that blossomed at the YU Mirror Pond is even more meaningful because seeds were collected in October after artificial pollination in August of last year, and it was sowed in February of this year.
<White Nymphoides indica in blossom at the YU Mirror Pond>
Various lotus flower and water lilies grow at the YU Mirror Pond, and in the summer, a variety of flowers take turn blooming both in the day and night. There are more than ten types of temperate and tropical water lilies including around 10 lotus flowers that bloom at night including the Beopsu red lotus and Banyaweol red lotus. It is also home a number of other aquatic plant life such as water poppy, gold lotus, fox nut, red least water lily, papyrus, water calla, loosestrife, etc. In particular, thousands of white Nymphoides indica that have recently seen sharp decrease in numbers can be found in colonies here at the YU Mirror Pond. YU School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Han Sung-soo breeded mass amounts of it and transplanted them in the Mirror Pond. YU plans to give the white Nymphoides indica to children for free. The first parcels will be from August 12 (Wed) - 16 (Sun), second will be from the 19th (Wed) to 23rd (Sun from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Children who want to receive the flower can get theirs for free by bring five plastic coffee cups to the Mirror Pond.
<Night-blooming flowers at the YU Mirror Pond>
