Annual Awards: How Much Weight Can a Giant Waterlily Cope With?

Now in its third year, the Waterlily Weigh-Off invites public gardens and zoos to show off the strength of their aquatic plants.

Credit: Denver Botanic Gardens

At first glance, these aquatic plants - originally from Bolivia - might seem delicate. But in reality, they’re incredibly strong. Recently, a giant waterlily at Florida’s Bok Tower Gardens supported 183 pounds (approx. 13 stone) before it succumbed to the weight and started sinking, beating out other global competitors to be crowned champion of the 2025 Waterlily Weigh-Off.

The weigh-off, which is now in its third year, is an annual social media contest organized by Denver Botanic Gardens. To enter the competition, horticulturists at public gardens and zoos across the globe film themselves stacking weighted objects atop one of their giant waterlily pads (or smaller lilies), noting the total weight the leaf was able to hold before dipping beneath the surface.

Credit: Guinness World Records

According to Denver Botanic Gardens, the contest is a “playful opportunity” to educate the public about aquatic plants, specifically Victoria amazonica, Victoria cruziana and a mash-up of those two giant waterlily species called the Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid.’ The leaves - also known as platters or pads - of these species can measure nearly ten feet across. The world's largest waterlily is in Kew Gardens, London - measuring a whopping 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) in diameter. The image below shows Kew's Carlos Magdalena, a world-leading waterlily expert, with his six-year-old son Mateo demonstrating the size and strength of Victoria boliviana's leaves.

How can they hold so much weight? It's to do with their remarkable structure, as the bottom of each leaf consists of a “highly engineered network of radiating ribs and cross-veins,” says Denver Botanic Gardens. The ribs and veins form stiff compartments that trap pockets of air, which helps distribute weight across the leaf. The tops of the pads also have upturned edges, offering a barrier that can prevent water from spreading across the surface as the leaf gets weighed down.

Want to see 183 pounds being piled on the winning lily at at Florida’s Bok Tower Gardens?

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