The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-08
VICTORIA REGIA BLOOMS.
WHITE BLOSSOM A FooT IN DIAM
ETER IN PROSPECT PARK.

II IL Changing TO Pink and win Soon ne Red
The Leaves Are SIX feet Across and Will
Hold Up sixty Pounds Ench-Root . Foot
Thick-Pinnt Rarely blooms Outdoors Here.
Brooklyn has a novel exhibit in ono OF tho
three city ponds in Prospect Park. 1t is a Vic.
toria Regia or Royal Water Lily in bloom in tho
open air. The plant frequently blooms In hot.
houses in this climate, but very seldom in tho
open air. This one that has put itself on show in
Prospect Park is a beautiful specimen OF the
plant. The horticulturist over in the park has
been experimenting with the lily for sew
eral years. He has succeeded only in rails.
ing leaves. and not very good leaves.
either. until this year. A couple OF days
ago he noticed a little bulb peoping out OF
the water. Immediately over the thick root
stalk. The lily was about to bloom. 1t grew
several inches out OF the water on Monday. and
Monday night at dusk the flower began to open.
As the evening wore on 1t opened wider and
wider. 1t was pure white. fully a foot in diam
eter. and beautiful In the extreme. 1t stayed
open until the sun began rising yesterday morn
ing; then II closed, to open again in the evening,
It's color changing from white to q delicate shade
Ii didn't get around last night that the lily
was looming hence the spectators OF the show
were tsw and most of them were park officials.
A Sun reporter was an invited guest. The lily
ponds are in the rose garden. which is a ave
minute walk from the entrance OF the park at
the Plaza. The Victoria Regia is in the middle
pond OF the three. and it is crowding everything
fisG IN its shf 3 s0% a p SSSHPt ss' o Suii'F9 The r root
stalk H. In the centre OF the pond and is
more than a foot thick. Out from this
an inch thick and on the end Of each stem is a
leaf. In the water the stems look like manila
ropes used to anchor the high leaves to the root
stalk. There were eleven leaves on the plant
last night. eight Of them being, between ave and
during the day because it had begun to wither.
and there was one Just out OF water scarcely
bigger than the flower. The eight biggest
lily 10. said were more than n week old. They
were circular and turned up on the edge all the
looked like floating trays. The upper side
was green and showed a network OF depressed
veins between which the surfaces were swollen Len.
outside OF the rim and the unders!de of the Leaf
were rose color. This side was full OF stin little
not to touch the leaf, Each leaf had a surface
OF about twsnty.eieht square feet and was
dead weight. Perhaps some OF them would hold
twice that weight. Mr.. Thompson pointed out
tho smallest OF the leaves that had developed.
That grew in two days" he said. 1T was
no bigger than my fst two days ago. when 1
Altogether these big leaves occupied nearly
four hund red square feet of the surface OF the
By open water, was the pink Hover. Though
1t was a. foot, in diameter, 1t looked mighty
small In the field OF floating trays. II was fully
open at a little after : o'clock. Halt a oxen on
lamps, fitted with refectors, showed 1t OF to
q advantage and the lovers OF flowers in the
party went into ~ecstasies over its beauties. In
shape 1t was much like the other lilies in the
pond, but II was bigger, and the color and tho
shading the leaves showed made IL much more
beautiful than any OF them.
1t will close up again at SUNRISE Mr..
Thompson said. and Tomorrow night II will
make its last appearance. The color will change
AgRin. and IL will re \ deeper red. At sunrise
Thursday il will close for the last time. The
stem will bend. and the flower will dip into the
water. where it will stay until the seed it con-
tains natures
Beside this flower last night there was a little
bud. Nr. Thompson said that that would prob
ably develop to-day so that IL would be ready 10
open tonight The leaf 10 that which was just
above water and looked like a bunch OF green
fuZZ, would develop so that tonight II may DO
two feet across. Mr.. Thompson said that the
lily would probably continue to bloom for "A
month. He VIII asS the Park commissioners -
have the pond lighted by electric lights. SO that
everybody can see the flower to advantage.
The Victoria Regia comes from the region OF
nual plant: that is. 1t dies when the cold weather
comes. and must be replanted the next year.
II was discovered by an Englishman. and the
first flower that blossomed in cultivation was
presented to Queen Victoria. The plant was
named after her. As the seeds in the dead
flowers Of the plant in the park mature they
will be taken and packed away in mud SO that
they may be kept moist and ready for planting
next year. The plant requires warm water to
grow in. The water In the lily pond where this
one Is growing Is heated by steam.