Nymphaea odorate Ait., fragrant water-lily or white pondlily, is an aquatic plant that is a part of the Water-Lily Family. It has leaves that are large and round with a notch near the base. In the months between June and September you can find floating flowers that can be anywhere from pink to white in color with a sweet fragrance. At dawn you will find the flowers opening and by dusk they will be closing.
They can be found in edges of lakes, ponds, marshes, and slow moving water. They grow in eastern North America and all states in the west with the exception of Idaho.
The root tea of the white pondlily is recommended by herbalists as a tea, wash, or gargle to treat sore throats, mouth sores, chronic diarrhea, gonorrhea, and dysentery. It can also be used for douching for yeast infections, uterine fibroids, and washing out your eyes. Leaf and root poultice was used to help heal tumors, rashes, boils, and sores. Native Americans used a root tea for diminishing the libidos of men and they placed the stems in there mouth to ease toothaches. In lab tests they discovered, rhizomes extracts made from alcohol contains an antispasmodic and sedative alkaloid nymphaeine.
