Giant Lily Pads Stun in Global Weight Challenge

Quick Smiles:

• Botanic gardens worldwide tested how much weight giant water lily pads could hold.
• Florida’s Bok Tower Gardens topped the contest with a pad holding 183 pounds.
• Lily pads can grow six feet wide and inspired famous architecture.

The Denver Botanic Gardens led a global Water Lily Weigh Off, inviting over 30 gardens and zoos from 9 countries to test the surprising strength of giant water lilies.

These impressive aquatic plants wowed audiences as videos showed botanists gently stacking all manner of objects—sandbags, oranges, and bricks—onto their wide pads, known as platters.

Missouri Botanic Gardens shared footage of a lily supporting 182 pounds before Florida’s Bok Tower Gardens claimed victory at 183 pounds.

The competition celebrated both science and creativity, engaging participants in friendly rivalry and joyful collaboration.

“I’m really proud of what we have been able to build out of this silly little idea we started,” said Vanessa Callahan, assistant manager of learning engagement at Denver Botanic Gardens.

“[The participating gardens are] just showing so much creativity, so much storytelling, so much earnest about them, experiences and personality, and I’m having so much fun watching it.”

The Huntsville Botanical Garden in Alabama captured third place, with their entry holding 176 pounds.

The species at the heart of the contest, Victoria cruziana and Victoria amazonica, can grow pads up to six feet in just a few months, using their sturdy ribbed structure to float and thrive.

Water lilies’ design is even echoed in architecture, with Frank Lloyd Wright drawing inspiration from their strength for his Johnson Wax Headquarters in Wisconsin.

These floating wonders didn’t just provide a fun spectacle—they highlighted nature’s brilliance and the communities it brings together.

See more uplifting stories and marvels of the natural world with us every week!

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