Amazon Victoria Trivia Questions

True! Discovered in 1801, they were officially named Victoria regia in 1837 in honor of Queen Victoria's coronation.

False. They are native to the Amazon Basin's slow-moving tributaries, not the main river itself, which has stronger currents.

True! Victoria amazonica leaves grow up to 10 feet across with a strong ribbed underside, allowing them to hold up to 70 pounds.

False. Rafflesia arnoldii holds that title. Victoria is the largest water lily, with flowers up to 1 foot wide, but not the largest flower overall.

False. They were first documented in 1801 by the German botanist Thaddäus Haenke, though locals knew them long before.

False. They are not carnivorous. Their leaves have sharp spines to deter herbivores, but they get nutrients from water and soil, not insects.

True! Under ideal conditions, leaves expand rapidly using a built-in growth hormone, gaining up to 40 cm (16 inches) per day.

True! The blooms open white, fragrant, and female on the first night, then turn pink and male on the second night to prevent self-pollination.