The swamp biome in Minecraft is a rather gloomy and damp environment, filled with mud, slime, and occasionally witches. However, despite its drawbacks, it serves as a treasure trove of useful resources: clay, seagrass, sugar cane, and blue orchids. Many of these items can only be found in the swamp, including our item of the week—the lily pad.
Lily pads were introduced to Minecraft in version 1.0.0 alongside enchanting, nether fortresses, and potions. Initially, they were quite small, measuring 1/64 of a block. They have since been adjusted, and now their height is 3/32 of a block, which is approximately 1.5 pixels tall.
In Minecraft Bedrock, lily pads naturally spawn in the swamp biome, but if you need them urgently and can’t find any nearby, consider exploring woodland mansions where there’s a slight chance of discovering some. You can also obtain them while fishing or purchase them from wandering traders.
Lilypads serve as excellent aids for walking on water. They can support the weight of your character, making them a practical means of transportation across bodies of water, such as in your own pond. Another feature that not everyone may be aware of is their use on ice. Placing several lilypads on a frozen river will help you halt your sliding motion, which is particularly useful when facing a dangerous obstacle ahead.
Additionally, lilypads are convenient for construction in the ocean. By swimming beneath one, you can place a block on its underside; this action will break the lilypad while keeping the block in position.
In the real world, lilypads consist of broad leaves and long stems that extend to the bottom of the water body, along with flowers. They belong to the family Nymphaeaceae, also known as Water Lilies. There are over 70 species of lilypads, including the Amazonian Victoria, a giant lilypad whose leaves can reach up to three meters in diameter. Its flowers emerge on the water’s surface once a year, lasting only 2-3 days. On the first day, the petals are a delicate white, turning soft pink on the second day, and finally purple on the third.
Giant water lilies were a significant source of rivalry among gardeners in Victorian England. The Dukes of Devonshire and Northumberland fiercely competed for the honor of being the first to cultivate this plant. Ultimately, Joseph Paxton, the gardener for the Devonshire estate, created a natural habitat for the lilies using heated boilers in November 1849. The ribbed underside of the lilies inspired Paxton to design the Crystal Palace located in London.
Water lilies symbolize various cultures around the world. They are the national flowers of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Guyana, and the state flower of Andhra Pradesh in India. Water lilies frequently appear on coats of arms and flags, such as the flag of Friesland and the coat of arms of Denmark. In both instances, they are depicted in red, resembling small hearts.
If you wish to win a gardener’s heart, consider gifting them a water lily, as there is no more beautiful aquatic flower.
