Rare giant water lily Victoria Cruziana blooms in Olomouc

One of the world's largest water lilies, the Victoria Cruziana, bloomed on Saturday in the tropical pavilion at the Flora Olomouc exhibition grounds.

Its creamy white flowers can reach up to 25 centimetres in diameter. The blossoms open at night and close again as daylight increases. On the second evening, they reopen with a pink hue before closing for good on the third morning and sinking beneath the water, where the fruit matures.

Gardeners at Flora Olomouc grow the giant water lilies each year from seeds collected from the ripened fruit.