Unfurl: spread our from a rolled or folded state

Unfurl: "make or become spread out from a rolled or folded state, especially in order to be open to the wind"

"Lily pads that unfurl during the summer create a new landscape for creatures in freshwater ponds: frogs bask atop them without fearing predators from below, and the shade they provide controls the growth of algae that might choke out fish and other underwater creatures. What’s your relationship with ponds: Swim at will or avoid the muck?" Source:http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/2014/09/photo-day-pond-pad/