Fringed Water-lily is an aquatic plant of the family Menyanthaceae native to Eurasia. It has floating leaves that support a yellow flowers with fringed petal margins.

The fruit is a capsule bearing many flattened seeds with stiff marginal hairs. It cannot grow in the shade and has to have a relatively deep body of water. Flowers bloom in July to September, while the seeds ripen from August to October.

How To Identify Fringed Water-lily?

Leaves: Frequently purplish underneath, with slightly wavy, shallowly scalloped margins.

Flowers: Bright yellow, 5-petaled and 3-4 cm in diameter. 

Stem: Long branched stolons extending up to one metre or more that lie just beneath the waters surface. 

Why Is Fringed Water-Lily A Problem?

The Fringed Water-lily is a very aggressive plant that is capable of rapid growth and spread which can displace native species, reduce biodiversity, limit recreation, diminish aesthetic value, and decrease water quality.

It is currently locally established in lakes and ponds in Ireland where it thrives in shallow (<1.5m deep) and nutrient rich waterbodies. 

Sediment levels increase with increasing Fringed Water-lily abundance.