Fragrant Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata)
As one of the most common water lilies, fragrant water lilies (Nymphaea odorata) are a common sight on New England freshwater ponds, shallow lakes, and slow moving streams. Native to the northeastern United States and parts of Canada, the fragrant water lily has large (2-6 inches across), fragrant, white (sometimes pink) flowers. Although the large flowers can be quite conspicuous, they only open in the morning, and typically close around noon. So if you’re visiting a pond in the afternoon…