Huge lotus leaves floating on water can support a human

Located in south Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden is a paradise for plant lovers. The Victoria regia, or giant water lily, is a lotus that has the largest leaves of all aquatic plants in the world. It has recently entered the best viewing period.

Here, you can see the Victoria regia with giant leaves floating on the water that can support a human. Victoria regia has a leaf that is up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) in diameter. The giant leaves are filled with internal vacancies, giving them enough buoyancy to bear up to 60 or 70 kilograms.

The name was given in honour of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Native to the Amazon Basin in South America, the lotus is a typical tropical plant that can only be enjoyed in summer in the tropical region.

Starting in 1963, seeds of Victoria regia have been introduced to the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, and the plant has become something of a calling card for the garden, where its flowers can be seen all year. The best viewing time for the lotus is from June to October.

Reporting by Dai Jikai and Yang Di (Yunnan Daily); Photo by Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden; Trans-editing by Mo Yingyi