Blue water lily
Nymphaea nouchali, family Nymphaeaceae
In its own language: නිල් මානෙල්
A star-shaped aquatic bloom in white, blue and pink across South and Southeast Asia
This water lily floats on still or slow-moving freshwater with round green leaves and star-like flowers in white, blue, violet, pink or cream. Native from Afghanistan to Australia, it is grown in gardens, used in festivals, and appears as a national emblem in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
- National flower of both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
- Rhizomes are edible only after boiling to remove nupharin toxin
- Flowers open by day and have a distinct star shape from above
- Used in Ayurvedic medicine for digestive issues
- Featured on Meghan Markle’s Commonwealth flora wedding veil
What does Blue water lily look like?
Nymphaea nouchali grows in water with roots anchored in mud and leaves that float or sit just above the surface. Its round leaves are green on top, often darker underneath, with wavy edges. The flower has 13–15 angular petals and four or five sepals, forming a star shape when viewed from above. Blooms range from white and blue to pink, violet, purple and cream, with a cup-like calyx 4–15 cm wide.
Where does Blue water lily come from?
First described in 1768 by Nicolaas Laurens Burman, this species was later expanded in definition to include several former species like Nymphaea caerulea. It belongs to the subgenus Brachyceras. Though native across a wide stretch of Asia into Australia, its taxonomy has been debated, with some merged varieties later found unrelated.
When and how Blue water lily blooms
It thrives in still or slow-moving freshwater of low to moderate depth. The plant spreads from a rhizome and produces floating foliage up to 1.5 metres across. Flowers open during the day and do not produce plantlets on their leaves. It grows naturally in ponds, marshes and wetlands, and is also cultivated in garden pools and aquariums.
How Blue water lily is used
In Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, it serves as a national symbol. In Sri Lanka, it features in Buddhist stories and traditional festivals. Its rhizomes are eaten after boiling to remove toxins, used in curries in Bangladesh and as famine food elsewhere. In Ayurveda, it treats indigestion. Aquarists grow it for underwater foliage or its blooms.
Kinds of Blue water lily
Several forms exist, including var. caerulea (the blue Egyptian lotus) and var. versicolor. Some varieties once grouped under this name, like Nymphaea petersiana, were later moved to different lineages. A natural hybrid with Nymphaea micrantha, called Nymphaea × daubenyana, occurs in Chad.
What Blue water lily means
Known as nil mānel in Sri Lanka, it symbolises purity and discipline in ancient Sanskrit, Pali and Sinhala texts. Buddhist tradition links it to Prince Siddhartha’s footprint and the path of the Buddha. It appeared on Meghan Markle’s wedding veil to represent Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Despite being toxic raw, its cooked rhizomes have long supplemented diets in parts of Asia.
Where Blue water lily is used and seen
Traditions that use it
Where to see Blue water lily
Questions people ask about Blue water lily
Where does Nymphaea nouchali come from?
It is native across southern and eastern Asia, from Afghanistan through India and Southeast Asia to Taiwan and Australia.
Is it really a lotus?
No. Though sometimes called 'blue lotus', it is a true water lily (Nymphaea), not a lotus (Nelumbo).
What is it used for?
It serves as a national emblem, appears in religious rituals, is grown ornamentally, and its boiled rhizomes are eaten or used in traditional medicine.
Are all parts of the plant safe to eat?
No. Leaves, stems and raw rhizomes contain the toxic alkaloid nupharin. Only properly boiled rhizomes are considered edible.
Why is it important in Sri Lanka?
It is the national flower, known as nil mānel, and appears in Buddhist lore and classical literature as a symbol of purity and virtue.
Good reading and sources
- IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesIUCN Red List, Article
- Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
- Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
- Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database
- Nymphaea nouchali on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Nymphaea nouchali", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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