Are Lily Pads Perennials?

Identification

• The yellow pond lily (Nuphar lutea) is representative of these perennial plants, growing in ponds, sluggish rivers and streams in the eastern United States. It sends out new growth from its root system in the mud at the bottom each year. The leaves grow on or above the water's surface on long stalks.

Time Frame

• In the autumn, after the plants stop growing and cold weather sets, they die back. The leaf and flower stalks die back to the root system until the warm weather of spring triggers their growth.

Benefits

• As the plant dies, it turns into organic matter that becomes a vital part of the food chain in settings such as marshes and lakes, according to the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers: Eastern Region." The plants also provide food for animals such as muskrats and waterfowl.