Guyana’s national flower to be featured in London’s Royal Gardens

– as part of botanical collaboration between PAC, Kew

More than 170 years after its first arrival, Guyana’s national flower – the Victoria amazonica – will return to the United Kingdom (UK) to take pride of place at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London. This is made possible through a collaboration between Guyana’s Protected Areas Commission (PAC) and UK’s Royal Botanic Gardens. Dubbed the ‘Queen of the River’, the Victoria amazonica, also known as the Giant Water Lily and commonly called the Victoria Regia Lily, is the largest member of the water lily family and is depicted on Guyana’s Coat of Arms.

Related coverageKing Charles III Begins Two-Day State Visit to Guyana Thursday35 reports

It was named after Queen Victoria of England and had inspired Britain’s waterlily houses and the design of the Crystal Palace. With its return to the UK, the Victoria amazonica will be featured in the historic Waterlily House, which was built in 1852 specifically to display the species. The facility is currently undergoing restoration and will reopen in 2027.