Wanted: Nymphaea gigantea

[Bogsnorkler]

Yup, that's what I'm after. Seed, plants, whatever. Willing to pay any reasonable price, or to consider a trade if I happen to have anything you want.

Also willing to pick up if within a reasonable distance of the Tweed Heads area (say, up to the Sunshine Coast or equivalent distance).

Legitimate sources only, please. I don't want anything that has been nicked from a national park or someone else's property.

The reason I want this species is because it used to be native to the area, but is now either extinct here or close to it. That's a pity, and I'd like to do something about it. Starting with my place.

[shortly]

I have a single adult plant from the upper brisbane drainage population, no youngsters yet this season but it does have some flower buds so its only a matter of time.

There was a lilly collector out Canungra way but i haven't been in contact with her for several years now. Ask around the garden clubs or aquarium societies down that way?

You might try Nick Romanowski from Dragonfly Aquatics to see if he is still selling it?

[Bogsnorkler]

Ok, thanks for the tips. I'll try Dragonfly and some of the clubs. TBH, given that the local nurseries mostly haven't heard of it and have no idea where to source it, I'm not sure the average garden club is likely to be much use. No harm in trying though.

Alternatively, how did you get one from the Upper Brisbane area? Is that a legal source?

Edited December 7, 2011 by Bogsnorkler

[shortly]

The parent of mine was collected from the wild before the floods in 74, i wouldn't be surprised if all the plants up there now aren't all hybrids.

You best bet with the clubs is to locate anyone still with it in a collection.

Most nurseries are useless, the restrictions on the commercial trade of plants plus GST paper trails prevents retail nurseries from sourcing anything out of the ordinary anymore.

You could also try Dave Wilson from Aquagreen.com.au

I dont think its on his price list but he may have a plant or 3 kicking about?

[Bogsnorkler]

i wouldn't be surprised if all the plants up there now aren't all hybrids

What other species do they hybridise with? N. caerulea?

[shortly]

Nymphaea nouchali (what we all used to call N capensis) seems to be the most common culprit.

Although there has been N lotus, N alba & N rubra hybrids pop up both in the wild & for sale over the years.

Within their groups Nymphaeas can be fairly promiscuous so a lot of collectors keep dividing their precious plants but end up with all manner of hybrid seedlings.

Which is why i only kept my single large parent plant & mulched the remainder when i moved that pond this year, some of the youngsters had pink streaks & others yellow petals

At least it cant hybridize with its current pond mates.

[Bogsnorkler]

Ok. At the moment I only have caerulea to worry about. If they cause trouble I can always remove them. Although TBH, as long as there is some pure stock kept, hybrids might be interesting as a sideline.

In fact I was idly wondering yesterday about exactly which factors make gigantea less competitive in the wild. If you could breed up a strain of gigantea that could hold its own, without incurring any other drawbacks, that would be very cool.

[Bogsnorkler]

This is now sorted. [/thread]