Water Garden Blog Water Lilies and Pond Plants » Hybridizing Lilies

Nymphaea Hidden Violet, from Randy McDonald

admin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:56:03 +0000

Nymphaea Hidden Violet. Properly N. ‘Hidden Violet’, is a newer hardy waterlily released by Randy McDonald.

Originally a seedling of N. ‘Attraction’, from Perry Slocum, Perry sold about 100 seedlings to Brad McLane around the year 2000. Brad in turn sold many of the seedlings to Randy during a time there was a slight shortage of Attraction. According to Randy this is when he grew out and found N. ‘Hidden Violet’. I was anxious to try one of these nifty red hardy lilies. The name Hidden Violet refers to the sheen on the plant when it is held up to the light you see a sheen of violet around the edge of the flowers.

The petal count is low but the unique star flower is interesting. After growing these plants for the past few summers and also seeing it on display in San Angelo I would call this a not so good bloomer. I usually had one bloom per day this summer in multiple pots with multiple crowns. Also for some reason the rhizomes do not seem to enjoy being transplanted like other hardy lilies. I am not sure this is an excellent choice for a market lily however it is unique and something new and fun I enjoyed trying the past few years.

Randy McDonald is an incredible waterlily Hybridizer from California and has an extensive hybrid stock we will dive into soon, many of which are interesting heavy blooming tropical plants.

Texas Dawn dedication as the State Waterlily of Texas

admin — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 05:46:40 +0000

Three weeks ago our friends Ken Landon and Tim Davis put on the 7th annual Lilyfest celebration with over 240 waterlilies in Civic League Park in San Angelo. This year three new waterlilies were dedicated and the 1980s favorite Texas Dawn made by Ken Landon was honored as recently becoming the state waterlily of Texas. Representative Drew Darby attended again this year and brought the proclamation to the Park.

Texas Dawn has been an incredible waterlily for nearly 30 years, the wonderful yellow flowers on this hardy lily are held high above the water and blooms in profusion. Hybridizers also enjoy working with the cultivar by Ken Landon. Here are some videos from Ken Landon, Drew Darby, and Tim Davis.

Ken Landon

Drew Darby

Tim Davis

Texas Dawn waterlilies are available for purchase here.

Video of my friend Mike Giles Purple Hardy Waterlilies

admin — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 10:01:23 +0000

I know I have gone a month without a post and that is not common for me as it is some other blogs. I promise the amount of documented content I have gathered on trips this year will be worth it. I spent the past few days with my friend Mike Giles and many, many of his blue and purple hardy waterlilies. I have video of many of the purple lilies and some photos Mike shared with me of the blue hardy lilies. Soon we will also be posting video of about an hour long documentary of Mikes rise in the water garden industry the past 7 years or so. So many great hardy hybrids are now being followed with so many great purple and blue hardy x tropical crosses.

Here is just a peek at what Mike will be bringing to market in the next 2-3 years. Also our friends in Florida have followed in the footsteps of Pairat Songpanich and Mike Giles with more urple hardy waterlilies. Both the blue and purple hardy lilies have been slow too reproduce so they will probably become available 1 or 2 years more slowly than a normal hardy lily. Many of the pink and red lilies multiply faster and could be available sooner.

Mike also has some lilies with blooms nearly the size of a gallon container and in cool weather stay open 6 to 12 days.

More information coming here soon and more waterlilies coming to Pond Megastore.

Emily G. Hutchings, James Brydon, and Wood’s Blue Goddess

admin — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:34:24 +0000

Today we look at three excellent waterlilies available from our sponsor www.PondMegastore.com , just to remember you can own these three. Many of the videos we share are of course new off the market waterlilies.

We have Emily Grant Hutchings. One of George Prings most incredible night blooming waterlilies, this video though not narrated will stun you! Plant night bloomers only after water is well into the 70s constantly or you will put them to sleep for many weeks. They multiply easily so keeping some over the winter as tubers is no problem if you have watched our tuber storage videos from Ken Landon. Emily Grant Hutchings is pink with green pads, flowers open around dusk and stay open well into the next morning ot even noon if it is overcast.

Next, James Brydon is a red moderate to heavy blooming small to medium waterlily. The shape of the flowers is very pretty and this like most reds does well where summer temperatures are not too hot. If your average high in summer is above 92 degrees then red hardy waterlilies are to be avoided as they tend to turn black and get a cooked appearance after opening.

Finally we have Wood’s Blue Goddess, a favorite large blue waterlily created by Jack Wood in 1989. Flowers stand high above the water and the pads are green. The flowers are moderate to heavy depending on pot size and fertilizer.

Tanzanite – the video

admin — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:13:33 +0000

Just how Purple is Tanzanite? It actually causes problems with our still photo as the purple (ultraviolet) wavelength is somewhat short and confuses the camera but our Camcorder did a fairly good job.
Take a look, note also the fragrance on the flower is amazing. I never cut them and smell them but just being the distance from the flower to the camera was excellent. This lily can be shipped to your home with hundreds of other choices at www.pondmegastore.com .

Jack Wood – Great Red Waterlily

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 07:27:07 +0000

Jack Wood has been a popular red tropical waterlily for years. Recently outshined by ‘Charlies’ Pride’ by charels winch and then ‘Bull’s Eye’ by Florida Aquatics. Jack wood remains an incredible red bloomer. Take a look at all the blooms on the plant in the second half of todays video blog.

This waterlily is currently for sale at http://www.pondmegastore.com

Waterily Seedlings

admin — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:09:31 +0000

Today Mike Giles shows us many of his new hardy blue and purple waterlilies. These intersubgeneric waterlilies, Hardy x Tropical crosses are many of the first from North America. Mike has been crossing them since 2005 and these are the first ever videos of the plants.

Beginning in 2012 PondMegastore.com will have exclusive sales rights to the first of Mike Giles hardy waterlilies hybrids. Myra, Sunfire, Fairy Skirt, Yellow Giant, and Hunneycup. In 2013 as long as production goes well we will then bring you the first Purple and Blue hardy waterlilies from Mike Giles.

More Soon….
Zac – water-garden-blog.com / http://www.PondMegastore.com

Purple Satin, The Purple Hardy Waterlily by Mike Giles

admin — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:29:42 +0000

We hope these waterlilies will some day soon be available from PondMegastore.com. Purple Satin or one of the many new purple and blue hardy brother and sister plants created by Mike Giles. Last week I went and visited Mike on his farm and documented the first video of the Purple and Blue hardy waterlilies. All Hardy x Tropical crosses, even some Hardy x Tropical night blooming crosses. Mike has hundreds of waterlilies in the pipeline we cannot wait to share with everyone but today is the day to introduce his video of Purple Satin. I will let Mike tell you about this one of many.

quickly view lots of waterlilies in bloom!

admin — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:20:01 +0000

We stiched a video together quickly yesterday morning of many many waterlilies in bloom. In the video you will see both hardy and tropicals that we sell. Since not all are marked as (like you will see ‘Star of Saim’, and ‘Panama Pacific’) you can ask us what the waterlily is at a certain timeframe in the video. For instance at 5:19 in the video we are looking at Colorado, a peach colored hardy waterlily. In this video you will see the two I named above, Clyde Ikins (yellow hardy), Virginia (white hardy), Mel Bel (pink annual), Lindsey Woods (last video – purple annual), Starbright (hardy white), MME. Wilfron Gonnere (pink hardy), Gonnere (White), Barbara Dobbina (peach hardy), and MORE!

Let us know what you think – if you have questions – all these pond plants and waterlilies are available to buy (blooming size) at http://www.PondMegastore.com

We should have new videos up and some big new features in the next 3-5 weeks. The biggest announcements in 4 years or more, some waterlilies we know you have never seen before. And that is how I will end this post with you wondering what is about to show up here.

Waterlily Growing Area

admin — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:57:34 +0000

Nearly 80% of the waterlilies are now entering blooming size at our southern growing facility where most of our plants are shipped to homeowners and nurseries. Below are a few of the beds where the waterlilies are grown. We will post more in coming days but here are a few so that you can see the plants that you order from http://www.PondMegastore.com

Miami Rose:

“Miami Rose Growing Pool” waterlilies growing in the southern nursery. A full star shape with more than 50 petals when mature.

The foliage is uniquely mottled and is a vigorous bloomer. Miami Rose waterlily is truly one of the all time favorites and is very popular. For sale now at http://www.pondmegastore.com/

Clyde Ikins:

Peony shaped peach blossoms are held well above beautifully slightly mottled to green leaves with age. One of the most prolific blooming hardy lilies.

Other hardy prolific bloomers include Texas Dawn, Colorado, Perrys Baby Red, Helvola, Mangkala Ubol, Moondance, Laydekeri Fugens, Laydekeri Lilacia, Bernice Ikins, Joanne Pring, and more.

Clyde Ikins is available as a full grown adult blooming plant at http://www.PondMegastore.com

Crystal: Crystal is a very heavily blooming white waterlily.

“Crystal” waterlilies growing in the southern nursery. Crystal is a great white… waterlily – an excellent bloomer and will fit in most any size water garden or pond.

This waterlily has the added benefit of being viviparous, plantlets form on the pads.

This waterliy is readily available now and should be into the summer months at
http://www.pondmegastore.com/ for delivery to homes or garden centers.

: Head on photo of “Crystal” waterlily

seem more at http://www.PondMegastore.com

Jennifer Rebecca, by Ken Landon

admin — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 08:52:46 +0000

One of my very favorite waterlilies from Ken Landon he developed back around 1990 and has been in the trade for a few years.

Jennifer Rebecca is a very deep red nightblooming waterlily that can stay open very late each morning and will not wilt as other deep red waterlilies do in the summer heat. Ken used Trudy Slocum and red flare in multiple crosses to get this very tolerant and high performance night bloomer. If you ever want to try a red night blooming pond plant this is the one.

Night bloomers often begin blooming a couple weeks later in the summer than tropical day bloomers so give it a couple weeks to establish but the blooms will last until frost. They also tuber easily and can be overwintered as tubers indoors!

Click the video to see the flowers and story of the Jennifer Rebecca waterlily by Ken Landon. This waterlily is for sale at Pond Megastore.

Extinct Waterlily Species N. capensis var Zanzibariensis

admin — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:40:07 +0000

Still alive in choice collections such as the International Waterlily Collection and a few growers for crossing hybrids. This African native waterlily species is extinct in nature.

Species waterlilies are important as you cannot develop strong hybrids the further away from the species material that you have. You begin getting mutations and poor plant qualities. The IWC San Angelo as we always write about is home to the largest repository of species material in the world. Ken Landon has saved multiple species from extinction over the last few decades helping to release varieties back into the wild such as N. flavovirens in Mexico one of his personal favorites to use in crossing new hybrids.

Enjoy one of the few peeks of N. capensis var Zanzibariensis

Peach Blow – Viviparous Waterlilies

admin — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:31:15 +0000

Peach Blow, one of our best selling pink waterlilies, a mildly viviparous hybrid created by George Pring. It’s date of origin and publication is 1941. It has peach pink yellow petals shaped in a round shape. It has light green pads. With a recent visit with Longwood Gardens Waterlily expert Patrick Nutt he mentioned what a remakable waterlily it has been for the last seven decades.

The viviparous leaves (lilypads) develop new plantlets on many pads as they age. The roots and leaves can be easily seen where the stem and leaf come together as displayed in the HD video below.

visit Pond Megastore Pond Plants and Waterlily Nursery to Purchase online.

‘TANZANITE’ Waterlily Has Arrived

admin — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:59:57 +0000

Would you like to have some nice waterlilies sold locally?

Pond Megastore and Champion Bay Aquatics will be adding Tanzanite and about 8 other waterlilies to a list close to 200 other water lilies this spring which are shipped wholesale grown / blooming size to Garden Centers and Landscapers all over the United States.

Tanzanite was voted as the Best New Waterlily overall in 2009 and this is the first year of production. Developed by the McLane family at Florida Aquatic Nurseries in Florida they have worked quickly to build up supply and should have a good quantity at the beginning of the 2011 season. Tanzanite waterlily is the deepest purple on the market, very similar to the depth of ’N. capensis var zanzibariensis forma purpurea’ in my opinion.

Waterlily "Tanzanite" brand new, deep purple like no other on the market

This lily has slightly lower petal count than last years blockbuster hit “Ultra Violet“ which I feel is still a superior waterlily though this is a close second in the purple waterlily category. From my two weeks this summer in San Angelo Texas (June & September) I did not notice the slight color change from day to day that Ultra Violet did seem to have. On hot sunny days I noticed Ultra Violet sometimes seemed to become almost a dark blue by the second or third day of full sun. If conditions were not completely sunny the flowers stayed purple all 3 days of each blossom.

Ultra Violethas about 70 petals on adult flowers and Tanzanite about 50. The larger the plant the more petals so fertilizer and pot size is key to performance. The pads on the Ultra Violet changefrom red/green camouflage pattern to an almost full red during the summer which is a second benefit for a pond plant like no other.

Contact either customerservice@pondmegastore.com or info@championbayaquatics.com for prices lists and minimum order requirements. “Tanzanite“ is also now available direct to home purchase in the Annual Waterlilies listed on www.PondMegastore.com .

Ken Landon: Magnificent work

admin — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 12:24:52 +0000

Ken Landon of the International Waterlily Collection in San Angelo Texas is often featured on this blog for his many accomplishments. Today we are publishing his introduction video of “Blue Cloud”. This is one of the best attractions to Civic League Park, and Australian waterlily from Gigantea crossed back over and over again over the years to improve petal count and cold tolerance (the only downfall of many Australian nymphaea).

Below that I will post again the video with Tim Davis which has footage of the larger plants taken in September 2010 shortly prior to the Symposium and LilyFest. Ken’s video up first was taken in June 2010.

Brandon McLane (Part 1) Hybridizing Waterlilies

admin — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 11:05:27 +0000

The History of Florida Aquatic Nurseries goes back 50 years and the water garden division stems back to the early 1990s. Brandon McLane (3rd Generation family business after Dr. William and Brad, his grandfather and father respectively) introduces a brief history of chance seedlings from Blue Spider, William McLane, to Key Lime, Bull’s Eye, and Ultra Violet. Part 1 of his presentation at the 2010 IWGS symposium. Enjoy some waterlily history in HD.

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT – World introduction to Ken Landon’s Tropical Waterlily Tuber Storage up to 10 years.

admin — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:16:14 +0000

This video is exclusive, it can be shared with permission. Ken Landon recently (Sept 2010) shared his way of tropical lily tuber storage. For years the jar sand method over 1 season has resulted in about 20% mortaility. That of course is not good especially when you have nearly 2000 lilies and 90% of the worlds species material.

Ken explains that for hybridization you need species plants as eventually you run into crappy mutation or genetics just break down and you stop getting nice plants.

Ken still intends on traveling the world to grab some more species material like ‘burtii’ which was lost after Dr. George H Pring’s work with it.

Please watch the 4 part series in FULL SCREEN (720p High Definition) with sound on. Please if ever writiing about the technique be sure to give Mr. Landon credit for bringing this revelation to the public. Enjoy!

Part 1 of 5

Part 2 of 5

Part 3 of 5

Part 4 of 5

BONUS Question & Answer with Ken Landon (Part 5)

Showstopper “Blue Cloud”

admin — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 05:03:41 +0000

The ULTIMATE Waterlily. Ken Landon crossed and back crossed a semi cool tolerant Austrailian. He also has this in a yellow and pink variety though has yet to release them.

Some of these blooms are 6 inches bigger then an adult mans head.

introducing ‘Tropic Sunset’

admin — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:34:01 +0000

From Florida Aquatics, “Tropic Sunset is a great new hybrid waterlily from Florida aquatics. Red and green mottled pads with multi-tone autumn colored flowers. 2-5 flowers per day are common. Nymphaea ‘Tropic Sunset’ represents a true breakthrough in Tropical Waterlilies. It is the only viviparous tropical waterlily that exhibits an autumn flower color on the market today. Nymphaea ‘Tropic Sunset’ displays beautiful autumn flowers that reminds us of a sunset at the beach.”

introducing ‘Tanzanite’

admin — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:29:00 +0000

New from Florida Aquatics, winner of best new waterlily 2009.

Nymphaea ‘Tanzanite’ was the Best New Waterlily of 2009 as awarded by the International Waterlily and Water Garden Association in their annual new waterlily competition. Deep violet purple flowers with over 50 petals are a highlight of this plant. Darker in color than any other purple waterlily on the market today its bright golden center offers a unique contrast to the overall color. Another interesting characteristic is the lively mottling of the pads on Nymphaea ‘Tanzanite. A nice compact growing waterlily that is very vigorous and usually has more than one flower open a day. Nymphaea ‘Tanzanite’ is suitable for any size water garden or pond.