Aquatic Plant Articles

Florida Aquatic Nurseries' Waterlily Hybrids
Florida Aquatic Nurseries released it's first tropical waterlily hybrid in 1995, N. 'Blue Spider'. The plant was a chance seedling with a bright blue flower held high above the water. Its most unique characteristic might be its pads, bright green with maroon steaking, resembling a spider web pattern. A vigorous grower, prolific bloomer and aesthetically pleasing this plant was quite a success. This success stimulated our interest in taking things further. Actively looking through our production area for interesting chance seedlings was the next step, and several new hybrids were found by this means. Finally, crossing plants deliberately was perfected which allowed for creating unthought of possibilities like a viviparous yellow waterlily (N. 'Carla's Sonshine'). Since that first unique hybrid was released, FAN has released many waterlily hybrids to the market, several of which were award winning. Florida Aquatic Nurseries continues our tradition of hybridizing new lilies and 2007 may have been our most ambitious year. Many crosses were made this past year and from the crosses 50+ lilies were selected that merrit either use in future hybridizing or possible release after more testing. We will enter 5 new hybrids in the IWGS competition this year so keep an eye out for some interesting new colors. Below you will find a full listing of our hybrids, both hardy and tropical, developed and produced by Florida Aquatic Nurseries.
N. 'Barbara Barnette' Barbara Barnette was The President of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta in 1997 when Denver Botanic Gardens held the IWGS New Waterlily competition. She was visiting the Gardens and fell in love with one of the plants we entered into the competition. Joe Tomocik suggested that we name the plant after her which we did. This waterlily was a chance seedling with one of the parents being Albert Greenberg. The characteristic that makes this waterlily unique is the fact that the foliage is different from any other autumn shade lily on the market. The foliage is heavily mottled with maroone streaks running throughout the pads.
N. 'Blue Daisy' N. 'Blue Daisy' got its name from it's likeness to a daisy flower. The numerous long slender petals with the yellow center reminded us of a daisy flower. The waterlily was a chance seedling released to the maket in 1998. This waterlily is unique because of the numerous long slender petals that number 50 or more when mature. The egg shaped leaf also has unique mottleing with a multicoloring effect. The color varies from green to light maroone to dark maroone giving the leaf a unique look.
N. 'Blue Spider' N. 'Blue spider' got it's name from the pattern of mottling on the leaf. It has a spider web appearence with red streaks across the green pad. N. 'Blue Spider' was a chance seedling and was released to the trade in 1995, our first origal hybrid. This waterlily is still very popular in the industry today. N. 'Blue Spider' is unique because of the unusual mottling on the pads.
N. 'Carla's Sonshine' The naming of N. 'Carla's Sonshine' is an interesting story. Florida Aquatic Nursery gave the IWGS the right to auction off the naming of the waterlily as a fund raising event. Greg Witstock was the highest bidder for the right to name the plant. Greg's wife Carla decided to name the lily N. 'Carla's Sonshine' after her sons, hence the unusually spelling of the word sonshine. We thought it was a terrific name beffiting of such a beautiful plant. N. 'Carla's Sonshine' was hybridized in 2003 and released to the trade in 2004. It is a cross between an unnamed hybrid and N. 'Trail Blazer'. The unnamed hybrid was a cross between N. 'Albert Greenberg' and N. 'Josephine'. This waterlily is unique because it is the only viviparous yellow waterlily on the market today. It has a deep yellow flower with heavily mottled pads and a compact nature which is also unique for tropical yellow hybrids. To create this waterliliy was especially rewarding because their was a long term direct effort to create a yellow viviparous hybrid since none existed.
N. 'Florida Star' The name N. 'Florida Star' was inspired by the star shaped flower, and we wanted to celebrate the state of Florida, the state in which we live and work. N. 'Florida Star' was released to the trade in 1999 and first shown at the IWGS convention at Missouri Botanic Gardens in St. Louis, Missouri. N. 'Florida Star' is is a cross between N. 'Crystal and N. 'Trail Blazer'. It was released to the trade in 2000 The waterlily is unique because it is the only strongly viviporous white lily with solid green pads.
N. 'Innocence' N. 'Innocence was given the name becasue of the pure white color of it's flower. N. 'Innocence was hybridized in 2003 and released to the trade in 2004. The cross was made between an unnamed hybrid and N. 'Trail Blazer'. Interestingly enough the plant came from the same seed pod as N. 'Carla's Sonshine'. The waterlily is unique for several reasons. Firstly, it is a strongly viviporuous white lily with heavily mottled leaves. Most important is the uniquely large, pure white flower that stands high above the water on an extreamly robust stalk. The pads are beautifully mottled with heavy maroone blotches on a green background.
N. 'Islamorada' N. 'Islamorada' was given the name beause it reminded us of one of our favorite fishing spots, Islamorada, Florida Keys. The spanish translation means purple island which we felt fit the unique flower rather well. N. 'Islamorada' was hybridized in 1998. It is a cross between N. micrantha and N. stellata. The N. stellata used was a very dark purple form that we selected out and set asided. The N. micrantha was the white form with no mottleing on the leaves. N. 'Islamorada' created quite a lot of intrest when we released it in 1998. It is unique for two reasons. Firstly, becasue of the white spots in it's purple flower and secondly becasue of it's highly viviparous nature. It is more strongly viviparous that any other hybrid tropical waterlily and resembles N. micrantha in this characteristic.
N. 'Josephine' N. 'Josephine' was named after Joe Tomick's greenhose manager's mother. We historically send lilies to Joe at Denver Botanic Gardens to grow for a summer for further testing before being released to the trade . Joe liked the waterlily and asked if he could name it. We think N. 'Josephine' is a perfect name for the waterlily. N. 'Josephine' was a chance seedling however we are quite sure that N. 'Paul Stetson was one of the parents. It was released to the trade in 1998. N. 'Josephine' is unique in that when released it was one of only two viviparous white lilies on the market at that time. It was the only white viviparous waterlily with green pads. It's a realtively small lily with a cup shaped flower.
N. 'Kathy McLane' N. 'Kathy McLane was named after Bruce McLane's wife, Kathy. After hybridizing so many waterlilies over the years Bruce obviously thought this particular lily was very special to warrant his wife's name! N. 'Kathy McLane' was a chance seedling and was released to the trade in 2003. N. 'Kathy McLane' is unique because of it's rosy red flower that displays 48 petals at maturity. The mottleing on the pads exhibits a pleasingly sharp contrast between a green background and deep maroone streaks.
N. 'Key Largo' N. 'Key Largo' was named after Key Largo, Florida, Keys. The rich lavendar color reminded us of the beautiful flowers seen in this part of the Florida Keys. N. 'Key Largo' is a chance seedling and was released to the trade in 2001. N. 'Key largo' is unique in that it is one of the very few truely lavender colored waterlilies on the market today and it is much deeper lavender color than any of the others. It's uniquely mottled pads sets it futher apart from all other lilies.
N. 'Key Lime' N. 'Key Lime" won best new medium waterlily of the year at the IWGS water lily competition held at Chicago Botanic Gardens in 2000. The name N. 'Key Lime' was inspired by our favorite lime which is used extensively throughout the Florida Keys both for making key lime pies and cocktails. N. 'Key Lime' was a cross between N. 'Crystal' and N. 'Trail Blazer'. It was released to the trade in 2001. N. 'Key Lime' is unique because it's foliage is heavily mottled, something no other tropical yellow waterlily had in common. It's mottleing is much different than N. 'Eldorado'. The flower is held high above the water and is quite large.
N. 'Miami Rose' The name N. 'Miami Rose' was inspired by it's rose red color and it"s Miami style flare. N. 'Miami Rose' was a cross between N. Ruby and N. 'Renegade' . It was released to the trade in 1999. N. 'Miami Rose' is unique in every characteristic. It's flower is a full star with more than 50 petals when mature. It's foliage is uniquely mottled and it is a vigorous grower and bloomer. This waterlily is truely one of our all time favorites and is very popular.
N. 'Moonbeam' The name N. 'Moonbeam' was inspired by the soft hues of yellow and blue that reminded us of a moonbeam on a summer night. N.'Moonbeam' was a chance seedling and was released to the trade in 2005. N. 'Moonbeam' is unique because of the flower color and shape. The delicate hues of blue fading into yellow is soothing. The petals have an inward curve more advanced than most flowers giving it some texture. Set on a background of lush green pads this waterlily is truely unique.
N. 'Moondance' N.'Moondance' won the best new medium or large hardy lily category in The IWGS New Waterlily competition in 2001. N. 'Moondance' has an interesting history. Walter Pagels and the late Paul Stetson would come by to visit once a year. On their visit in 1999 my brother Bruce and I voulunteered to take them to Lake Okeechobee in search of natural hybrids between N. odorata and N. mexicana, both of which have large natural colonies in parts of the Lake. We found several that day, one of which was N. 'Moondance' N. 'Moondance is unique because of it's extreamly large creamy white flowers that are held high above the water. It's pads are lightly flecked in a unique way. This is a large plant that blooms profusly for a hardy waterlily.
N. 'Moon Shadow' N. 'Moon Shadow' derived it's name from the soft pastel colors of the flower that reminded us of a moonlit night. N. 'Moonshadow' was a cross between N. 'Trail Blazer' and an unknown hybrid. It was released to the trade in 1999. N. 'Moonbeam' is unique because of the color of the flower. Only N. 'Green Smoke' had a similar color at time of release, however the pads of N. 'Moonshadow' are a lush green color which is much different than N. 'Green Smoke'.
N. 'Pink Champangne' The name N. 'Pink Champangne' was inspired by the clear pink color of the flower. N. 'Pink Champangne is a chance seedling and was released to the trade in 1998. N. 'Pink Champangne' is unique in all ways. The flower is a very clear pink and was different from anything in the trade in 1998. The foliage is also unique in the muticolored mottleing on the egg shapped pads.
N. 'Pink Passion' The name N. 'Pink Passion' was inspired by the color of the large, full pink/orange flower. N. 'Pink Passion' was a chance seedling and was released to the trade in 1999. N. 'Pink Passion is unique because of the large pink flower that contains more than 50 petals when mature. The pink color is also somewhat unique. N. 'Pink Passion is a vigorus grower and a prolific bloomer.
N. 'Rose Bowl' The name N. 'Rose Bowl' was inspired by the rose color and the cup shaped flower. N. 'Rose Bowl' was a cross between N. 'Red Cup' and N. spontanea. It was released to the trade in 2000. N. 'Rose Bowl' is unique in the fact that rose colored flower never opens completely so it forms a cup. No other pink night blooming tropical has a flower that forms a cup like N. 'Rose Bowl'.
N. 'Southern Charm' N. 'Southern Charm' won 2nd place in the peoples choice award in 2007 at the IWGS new waterlily competition at Sarah P. Duke Gardens (see article on website). The name N. 'Southern Charm' was inspired by our southern heritage and such a charming plant! N. 'Southern Charm' was a chance seedling and was released to the trade in 2007. N. 'Southern Charm' is unique becasue of it's unusual flower color. The blue fused with yellow created a color that is not represented in waterlilies. The beautifuly mottled pads and the vigor this plant shows makes it a truely unique plant.
N. 'Stan Skinger' N. 'Stan Skinger' was named after Stan Skinger of Denver Colorado. Stan was a friend and volunteer at Denver Botanic Gardens. N. 'Stan Skinger' was a cross between N. 'Golden West' and N. 'Golden West'. and was released to the trade in 2006. N. 'Stan Skinger' is unique becasue of it's flower color and it's pads. The flower is yellow when the plant is young but at maturity the color turns to an orange, similar to golden west. The pads are heavily mottled with maroone streaks on a green background.
N. 'Sulphrea Okeechobee' The name N. 'Sulphrea Okeechobee' was inspired by the area that this plant was colllected from, Lake Okeechobee and that it is a cross between N. odorata and N. mexicana. It was collected by Dr. David Sutton from a medium sized stand of plants he observed in the Lake. N. 'Sulphrea Okeechobee' was a natural cross between N. odorata and N. mexicana. It was released to the trade in 2000. N. 'Sulphurea Okeechobee' is unique in the fact that their were no yellow hardy waterlilies with the unique coloring on its pads in the trade at the time of release. It is also smaller than N. 'Sulphurea'.
N. 'White Lightning' N. 'White Lightning' was named for it's white flower and it's streaking pattern of mottling on it's leaf. N. 'White Lightning' was a chance seedling with one of it's parents being N. capensis var. zanzibariensis. N. 'White Lightning' is unique in all ways. It's flower with long slender white petals is different than other white lilies. Its deep green pads with the unique streaking on them is also very different from other plants.
N. 'William McLane' N. 'William McLane' was awared the Banksian Medal as the best new water lily of the year in 1997 by the IWGS. The contest was held at Denver Botanic gardens and had 50 new waterlilies competing. N. 'William McLane' was named after our founder Dr. William McLane. We knew this lily was special from the day we discoverd it in one of our production tanks. This fact was confirmed by the IWGS. N. 'William McLane' was a cross between N. 'Green Smoke' and and unknown variety. It was released to the trade in 1998 N. 'William McLane' is unique in all ways from it's large deep blue flower to it's egg shaped pads. The flower is large with up to 48 petals at maturity. The deep blue color can turn to deep purple under certain conditions like cooler temperatures. The pads are heavily mottled with large blotches of maroone on a green background. The plant itself is vigorous and is one of the first lilies to grow in the spring. We are especially proud of this plant which is obvious by the name we have given it.