Plant
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
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAutotrophic (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)
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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