Plant · GBIF taxon 6434989
Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily
Nuphar variegataAlso known as Bullhead Lily, Yellow Cow Lily, Spatterdock, Variegated Cow Lily
Anchored in muddy lake bottoms by thick fleshy rhizomes, Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily lifts broad heart-shaped leaves to float smoothly on quiet northern waters. Bright yellow globular flowers open during sunny mornings, attracting specialized beetles and solitary bees with a subtle sweet aroma. Dense colonies provide critical shade, hiding spots, and forage for native fish, turtles, and aquatic mammals.
AquaticPerennialNative Plant
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
- Muskrat
- Beaver
- Waterfowl
ThreatsWater pollution, shoreline development, invasive aquatic weeds
HabitatsPonds, shallow lakes, slow-moving rivers, marshes, and bogs
Life spanPerennial (many years)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderNymphaeales
- FamilyNymphaeaceae
- GenusNuphar
- SpeciesNuphar variegata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe from shore or boat; avoid disturbing sensitive aquatic beds.
Responsible observation
- Boating Precautions: Paddle slowly through floating lily beds to avoid entangling propellors or damaging delicate leaf stems.
- Best Viewing: Look for fully open yellow blossoms on warm, sunny mornings between mid-spring and late summer.
- Wildlife Watching: Scan leaf surfaces for basking painted turtles and resting damselflies.
Frequent Companion "fragrant water lily" by USFWS Headquarters is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Habitat Neighbor no rights reserved, uploaded by Nonbinary-Naturalist · cc0
Herbivore (c) Owen Strickland, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Owen Strickland · cc-by
Close Relative Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 de · cc-by-sa
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Found in Collections
Ecosystem chain
Wetland Territory
Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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