American White Waterlily

28 Oct, 2009
10 likes

These flowers are scented with a tint of rose, being the strongest in the morning. The flower buds (before the flowers open) are eaten cooked as a vegetable or pickled. The young flowers and leaves can be added to a salad, soup, or stew.

The Eastern Native American used it as food and medicine. The roots were used as a poultice for tumors, it was used internally as well as externally. The leaves and flowers were used as a cooling compress

Comments on this photo

Bernieh

Simply beautiful!

28 Oct, 2009

Sue_birming..

Beautiful pic HW and amazing to know that it has so many 'uses'. :-)))

28 Oct, 2009

Madperth

As useful as it is beautiful! I like that in a plant! LOL!

28 Oct, 2009

Lori

So the "white" refers to the colour of the root ...not the blossom? I have nymphaea that I overwinter indoors... never knew that they were a medicinal plant...

6 Nov, 2009

Healerwitch

Lori...truth to tell, I am not sure why it is called 'white' except one of it's varients is white flowered....never looked at the root, need to get a canoe this year and go check them out...:)

=^..^=

6 Nov, 2009