Surely during your visits to Xochimilco or the cenotes of Yucatan, you appreciated the presence of the water lily. However, did you know that this striking plant is not native to Mexico? Here we have the story.
The water lily, also known as Eichhornia crassipes, is a floating plant native to the Amazon basin. This species was not a common part of the Valley of Mexico about 900 years ago when pre-Hispanic cultures created the chinampa system around Lake Texcoco.
Currently, this plant is part of the Xochimilco wetland, becoming one of the most striking plant species in the region for its violet and blue flowers. However, despite its unique beauty, this species is capable of causing irreversible environmental damage.
Who introduced the water lily to Mexico?
It is said that the lily was introduced to the Xochimilco wetland by Porfirio Díaz and Carmen Romero Rubio, his wife, in 1897.
This plant arrives in our country simply for its ornamental beauty. The Porfiriato was one of the historical moments in which it was intended to imitate European canons based on cultural wealth, architecture, culture and urban planning.
The elites of that time were unaware of the details about the speed of reproduction of the plant, as well as the characteristics that make it a pest for any aquatic ecosystem.
Do you want to walk around Xochimilco? Here we leave you a guide.
So the wealthiest families in the country introduced the water lily from the United States for a long time.
The spread of a plague
The lily, more than a century after its arrival in the Xochimilco wetland, displaced various native species of the region. Because of this, in the 1990’s it was considered a problem for navigation and water flows.
Another problem is that it prevents the passage of light and alters the oxygen available in the water, which puts several aquatic species at risk.
Although if it is kept in smaller numbers and better control is established, it can be used to retain heavy metals.
It is also possible to use it as biofuel for the production of biogas, for composting, and even in the creation of prebiotics. However, these projects are progressing little by little.