I'll try a pic- this is a wild one in Peru, a blackwater tributary...
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Hi
I grew some of the hybrids from seed but my largest pool is only 5x10 feet 3 leaves and the entire surface was covered lol. All undersides are covered with thorns which makes handling tough. BTW These plants are annuals so will eventually die down completely though I know they will go two years here.
Fantastic plant if you have the room!!!
Is that water lettuce I see on top of the pads in your pic?? gary

Hey Everyone,
I have to admit that this plant has been one I have eyed more than once. I don't know where you would obtain a specimen plant at, but I am in the middle of building a new pond and I would love to have it as a focal point. I currently have a 2,600 gallon pond that is full of many other water lilies. However, I do live in Zone 7b and I would have a very cold winter for this plant to survive. This year has been a terribly cold winter, but I have many plants still surviving the cold even though many thought they wouldn't. (ie. Several Palms of different species). Would be great to find a source of this cool plant. I will have the new pond completed around late May and it will be HUGE... If you know of a source for this plant...I would love to know of it. Thanks!

Victoria Amazonica was one of my favorite sites for a long time but I have to admit that I haven't checked on them since they were nearly wiped out by a bad hurricane. They essentially closed down the site while they were rebuilding. I haven't got time now to read a lot but it looks like they are back in business. Just Google it for a listing. Sandy

Victoria seed come up on ebay at a modest price, No need to be stung by iffy resellers, pushing iffy plants from iffy ponds...

If you set up an aquarium or tub you could fire them up in a greenhouse or indoors under strip lights, a month ahead of the likely mid 70's water temps outdoors

They are picky about 80's, 90's temps, so don't be surprised if the plant fails outdoors if you get a late cold spell

For a plant with more spectacular lilypads, you might try the Euryale, Gorgon plant, its more tolerant of cold spells

If you look at your historical weather data and look at the usual mean low temperature, you might notice the lows too often bump along the seventy mark, it would be very hit or miss to plant out a Vic

You really need that constant 80's and 90's stuff for at least two months

Hi
I got my original seeds from Victoria Adventure,following the advice they gave along with the proper choice of species. The hybrids are far less sensitive than the species.
Hey if they can grow them in Missouri anybody can grow them ?? lol. Longwood Gdns grow them every year and produced the first hybrids.
I had no problem growing them ,just that they are GIGANTIC in every respect
Have been trying for a number of years to get the city to let me use the water retention ponds but they fear attracting alligators.
Several nurseries in Fla. sell them but why miss the adventure of growing from seed?? They are annuals anyway and I suspect in a colder climate 8 months tops?? gary

There is need to spend money on ebay for questionable seed, when fresh,true to type seed are available for the cost of postage from www.victoria-adventure.org and they are now shipping this years seed.

I grow a number of plants of both species, V.amazonica and V. cruziana, as well as the 'Longwood Hybrid'every year and the Longwood is definitely the easiest to grow and no fussier about water temp than a standard tropical, in that while they will thrive at temps over 95 F, come fall an established plant can take chilly waters.

I know of people growing them as far north as Rochester, NY and others in chilly Iowa...I should specify...growing them successfully.

Read the advice on either www.victoria-adventure.org or the sister site www.watergardenersinternational.org/ and you'll see that by playing with pot size, you don't really need a huge pond to enjoy a Vic.

Hi
Interesting , My thought was that if I can't allow them to grow to full size .Why bother ?? There are so many other kinds of lillies that would fit into any size pool. Tolerate cold temps and perrenial.
Guess it would be a personal choice??? gary

No theres not a lot of point allowing a pond to be smothered by thorny lilypads, unless you have a ten to fourty foot span to spare.

Many of the large varieties can be stunted to smaller sizes, by a smaller pot and setting them shallow. Most night bloom tropical waterlilies can happily be grown four foot or less wide, though you run the risk of the foliage being scorched in hot sun in shallow water, the unfurling lilypads scorching along the edge

One particular downside to Vic's, besides the confusion over what version you have (Amazonica has very demanding high temp requirements while the Longwood is more cold tolerant) the lilypads are vulnerable to wind damage

Pat Nutt wrote the most concise description of Vic's, notes which Perry Slocum included in his books, which might save wasting time reading gobbledygook elsewheres

Vics are an interesting plant in their own right and due to the uniqueness, not really replaced by other lilies for those that know they want a Vic. The heady pineapple scent released the afternoon before the flower opens is positively intoxicating and no other lily offers either the scent or strength of aroma. It is a specimen plant and an eyecatcher at that, so Vics are more than deserving of dedicated pond or a stand out in a mixed pond even at a reduced size. To see a Vic in real life is always memorable and thanks to the fine folks at vic-adventure, the stars of botanical gardens are now readily available for the home pond and all the necessary cultural advice is freely available on their web site.

Some pads might flip in high winds but can be righted with negligible damage and truth be told...I've never had a cruziana pad flip. So pad damage is a very minor concern...more a slight and infrequent inconvenience in the minds of those that have actually grown them.

For hobbyists using legitimate vendors, there is no confusion over what plant you are getting and that is especially true for the quality growers that participate in the WGI 'Truly Named' program. Every plant is tagged with both name and lot number to positively eliminate mistakes. Seeds from victoria-adventure are also identified by type and lot number. So you can try either free seed or buy started plants with no concern for confusion. Though I'd be leery of the mongrel lilies of all types frequently peddled on ebay.

I know Patrick Nutt believes they are worth the effort.

The wgi feature some of the most unreliable folk I've ever come across in umpteen years of ponding.

Folk that can't put a plant in a box. Can't find a plant. Inferior choice and price. Not a vague clue as to heat tolerance, no clue and a cavalier disregard for maintaining disease free plants. Insulting incompetence. Do I really want a 5c plant that might have been shipped in from China fobbed off at $40?

No thanks

No such problems finding vastly more reliable 'quality' elsewhere, especially among the specialist collectors who know them and grow them, listing on ebay

Credit where its due...

Unsubstantiated allegations aside,the Watergardeners International membership list reads like the who's who of the water garden hobby....Bennett, Davies, Slocum, Sacher, Wood, Pagels, McLane, Kew Gardens, Longwood Gardens, MoBot, Denver Botanical Gardens. And membership is free to any interested individuals.

But not to drift the thread, WGI is also the only organization offering access to guaranteed, pedigreed Victoria and Nymphaea through the Truly Named program. So if you want a true V. amazonica it is "the" place to look.

Odd a founding member of WGI, such as yourself, hasn't resigned in disgust if even a small part of your claims are provably true.

I sell victorias on ebay and I ONLY sell certified victorias that I get the seeds from the Knotts' breeding program in Florida. So please don't lump all the sellers together, or think they're not legit.
My plants are packed well too! Check out my feedback on garden watchdog. Don't shoot down all the sellers you might come across on ebay. I know there are some bad ones, but some of us are legit and really care!

hi,
i find till two years to buy in europe the victoria amazonica .
i live in ibiza spain and this is my dream ... to buy this magnific ninphea .
could you help me please
best regards patrizia
patrizia@suite307.com

Patrizia, the best bet is to get the seed as these plants are not easy to ship. Victoria Adventures will ship plants over-seas and all you pay is the postage.

Here is a link that might be useful: Victoria Seeds for postage

i live in tropical malaysia and have recently started growing a victoria amazonica lily in my koi pond in a 2ft diameter by 1ft deep pot. It is growing very well and the koi does not disturb the leaves due to the thorns so thats great.
My problem is the leaves will grow to about 3 ft in diameter and last for only 2 weeks and die off. I just could not get the leaves to mature. Can anyone offer any advice?

I am a little late to the victoria party, but does anyone have any extra seeds or seedlings they could send me? I have plenty of regular lillies I;d be willing to trade?