Nymphaea odorata
Fragrant or white waterlily, Fragrant Or White Waterlily
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Nymphaeaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Nymphaea odorata (Fragrant or white waterlily) is a non-native California herb in the Nymphaeaceae family, recognized by white fragrant flowers and wider elevation range distinctive.
Fragrant waterlily is a naturalized perennial found in the northern Sierra Nevada Foothills, Sierra Nevada (Lake Tahoe), Sacramento Valley (Butte County), and southern Northern California coastal ranges in quiet waters, ponds, and lake edges at elevations generally below 2,700 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces large white flowers up to 19 centimeters wide with numerous white petals floating gracefully on the water surface. Growing with a prostrate, branched rhizome, it spreads across water surfaces with broad, nearly round leaf blades 5 to 25 centimeters wide. Its distinctive leaves are rounded and buoyant, creating a lush green carpet on quiet waters with flowers emerging above the foliage. The fruit is a depressed-spherical structure approximately 2.5 to 3 centimeters in size, containing small seeds 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated in CaRF, SNF, SNH, ScV, SnGb; white fragrant flowers and wider elevation range distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Quiet waters, ponds, edges of lakes
Elevation: generally < 2700 m
California counties: Butte, San Bernardino, San Diego, Marin, Mendocino, Alpine, Yuba, Glenn, El Dorado, Shasta, Napa, Riverside, San Mateo
Outside California: native to eastern North America. Cultivated widely for ornament
Bloom period
Nymphaea odorata blooms Apr-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Nuphar: Nymphaea flowers spread flat and open wide; Nuphar flowers are cup-shaped and stay partly closed.; vs Nelumbo: Nymphaea leaves float flat on water with a notch; lotus leaves rise high above water on central stalks.; vs Brasenia: Nymphaea leaves have a V-notch and never slimy; Brasenia leaves attach at center and have thick slime underneath.; vs Victoria: Nymphaea leaves are under 2 feet wide with smooth edges; Victoria leaves are 3+ feet wide with raised rim.; vs Punica: Nymphaea is aquatic with floating leaves; pomegranate is a terrestrial woody shrub.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nymphaea odorata native to California?
No. Nymphaea odorata is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Nymphaea odorata bloom?
Nymphaea odorata blooms Apr-Aug.
Where in California does Nymphaea odorata grow?
Nymphaea odorata occurs in Butte, San Bernardino, San Diego, Marin, Mendocino, Alpine, Yuba, Glenn and other counties, at elevations of generally < 2700 m.
What plant family does Nymphaea odorata belong to?
Nymphaea odorata is in the Nymphaeaceae family, genus Nymphaea.
What habitat does Nymphaea odorata grow in?
Nymphaea odorata grows in Quiet waters, ponds, edges of lakes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.