OtterKnow Kids Encyclopedia

Pond lilies are water plants with large, heart-shaped leaves that float on top of the water like little green rafts! These floating leaves are often called “lily pads.” If you look closely, you might see a tiny frog sitting on one or a dragonfly resting its shiny wings.

The leaves have a special waxy coating that makes water roll right off, like a raincoat for a plant. The plant has long, rubbery stems that stretch down to the muddy bottom, sometimes as far as six feet, to hold the plant in place like an anchor. Under the water, thick roots called rhizomes store food for the cold winter months.