line decor
HOME  |   THE ISLANDS  |    HISTORY  |     WILDLIFE  |   WILDFLOWERS  |   BIRDS  |  ISLE OF HARRIS  |  ISLE OF LEWIS  |  SEASCAPES  |  BEACHES 
line decor
 
 
Flowers by Colour
Blue & Purple Wildflowers
Pink & Red Wildflowers
Red Bartsia
Water Lilies - Western Isles - Wild Flowers - Wildflowers & Flora of The Isle of Harris and The Isle of Lewis - Hebrides Flowers
Native to the Western Isles - These lovely white wildflowers can be seen in the lochs of The Western Isles They have twenty very large white petals and a lovely bright yellow centre.


Western Isles Wildflowers - Wild flowers of The Hebrides
White Water Lily - Nymphaea alba
Seen Near LingerBay - Isle of Harris

 
Native to the Western Isles
The white water-lily is a native wildflower of the Western Isles. These lovely wildflowers are fairly common in the lochs of The Outer Hebrides. This lovely wildflower is the largest flower native to Britain.

Perennial - Lovely Bronze Leaves
The White water lilies are a wide spreading aquatic perennial with rounded leaves which are a lovely bronze-tinted colour when new, and star-shaped, pure white flowers with yellow centres in summer. The leaves can be up to 30cms in diameter & they take up a spread of 150cms for each plant.


  

Water Lily Leaves - Western Isles Wildflowers
Click Images for Larger Picture    
Western Isles Wildflowers - Water Lilies
  
Water Lilies - Wildflowers - Western Isles Flora
Water Lilies - Isle of Harris
  
Water Lilies - Isle of Harris
Fleshy Underwater Stems
This lovely white lily has fleshy underwater stems that can grow to 6ft below the surface. These stems anchor the plant down.
.

From June - August
It flowers June to August - lovely white wildflowers which open as it becomes light and close as darkness descends in the evening - the plant at that time in the evening partly sinks below the water surface.

Twenty Petals
The flower has twenty large petals in a double ruff of white petals with a beautifully bright yellow centre. The flowers and the large almost circular leaves float on the surface of still or slow flowing water
Medicinal Uses
This plant used to be used for skin treatments - at least the oils of it were extracted for this use.

Symbol of Purity
The flower was also thought to be a symbol of purity
Click Images for Larger Picture    
Western Isles Wildflowers - Water Lilies
  
Water Lilies - Wildflowers - Western Isles Flora
Water Lily
  
Water Lilies - Isle of Harris

Harris Tweed Dyes
These wildflowers were actually used in the the dyes that were used for the Harris Tweed. The roots were used to produce black or brown colours for the tweed.
 


White Water Lily - Nymphaea alba
Seen Garry - Isle of Lewis
White Water Lily - Western Isles Wildflowers
Western Isles Wildflowers - Flora & Flowers of The Outer Hebrides - Hebridean Wild Flowers
White Water Lilies - Wildflowers - Isle of Lewis - Isle of Harris