August

Victoria cruziana from the water lily family (Nymphaeaceae) is originally from South America. It is also called giant water lily in Germany. The name fits because its round leaves, which float on the water, grow so large and sturdy that they can carry a small child. This special plant is on display at the Braunschweig Botanical Garden.

The tropical Victoria blooms only once a year, on two consecutive nights in August or September. On the first evening, the white flower opens, attracting beetles for pollination in nature, and closes again in the morning. The next evening, the flower opens again, this time in pink, releasing the beetles that were trapped in the meantime.