Author Topic: My Aussie lily N. gigantea (Read 2448 times)

Kat · « **on:** July 26, 2009, 11:11:07 AM »

Here is the first bloom. Got it earlier this summer from someone local that has had it for over 10 years but doesn't remember where they got it. They keep their lilies in galvanized stock tanks which probably makes for the water being warm enough every summer for it to be happy.

maryvonne · « **Reply #1 on:** July 26, 2009, 11:42:27 AM »

They are very pretty. I love the colour! Too bad it's just too cool for them here.

Maryvonne

greenthumbnails · « **Reply #2 on:** July 26, 2009, 02:26:15 PM »

That is very nice. It looks as if it is a semi-double, is it supposed to be? The center is also a little unusual, very neat. Is this the mystery lily that you got earlier in the year but were afraid to name it cause you didn't want to jinx it? I might have missed the thread later where you named it after it got going...

LynneNY · « **Reply #3 on:** July 26, 2009, 03:00:21 PM »

Gorgeous! Love the color!

MikeW · « **Reply #4 on:** July 26, 2009, 03:17:45 PM »

Talk about blue.

I guess this would be more of a botany lesson than implied - but why do the Aussies need it to be so warm?

Cheers,

Mike

Kat · « **Reply #5 on:** July 26, 2009, 05:19:44 PM »

Australian species water lily --- heat loving plants. Several articles pertaining to them at Victoria Adventure & here is one:

http://www.victoria-adventure.org/waterlilies/growing_australians.html

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #6 on:** July 26, 2009, 05:28:22 PM »

Kat, are you planning on trying to get it to produce seeds? I really do need some seeds for N. gigantea. Please.

Vickie · « **Reply #7 on:** July 26, 2009, 06:09:44 PM »

Kat that is beautiful. I don't thibnk mine will bloom because of this cool weather here.

Kat · « **Reply #8 on:** July 26, 2009, 06:32:41 PM »

Thanks everyone.

No, I'm not going to try & gather seeds from it as I've got extra plants that I'm hoping will tuber for me so I can grow it again next year.

sooks · « **Reply #9 on:** July 26, 2009, 06:49:00 PM »

BEAUTIFUL!!

Joyce · « **Reply #10 on:** July 27, 2009, 07:47:37 AM »

I WANT ONE!!!

bunny56lbc · « **Reply #11 on:** July 27, 2009, 09:29:09 PM »

WOW

BEAUTIFUL....I want one too !

bonnie

Kat · « **Reply #12 on:** July 28, 2009, 08:09:51 AM »

Well, if I can get the baby plants to be big enough I'll let you know.

Timgod · « **Reply #13 on:** July 28, 2009, 11:01:56 AM »

The aussies are really cranky about big temperature fluctuations.
They really like it warm to hot.
If you get an influx of cold water it can just try to go to sleep if it is not a good sized established plant.
I've had 2 plants that were blooming fine. I had to do a 25% water change in the pond they were in and they went down on me.

Tim

Desertponder · « **Reply #14 on:** July 28, 2009, 02:37:37 PM »

Pretty, pretty!

Kat · « **Reply #15 on:** August 03, 2009, 09:35:24 AM »

Well, at least the rainy & cloudy 2 weeks didn't send it into dormancy

KatFish · « **Reply #16 on:** August 03, 2009, 09:45:27 AM »

Pretty! Is the bloom as large as the name suggests?

Kat · « **Reply #17 on:** August 03, 2009, 11:04:03 AM »

About the same size as my other tropical blooms. Maybe in it's natural habitat this lily grows very large, therefore the name? Maybe Craig or Sean can let us know.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 03, 2009, 12:12:07 PM »

I saw one yesterday in the greenhouse at Hughes Water Gardens. It was the biggest spreading tropical waterlily there. It was huge. Some of the pads were a foot across.
I did not have my camera.

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #19 on:** August 03, 2009, 06:02:12 PM »

I believe the pads can get up to 3-4' in diameter. I'm sure that I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.

Craig · « **Reply #20 on:** August 05, 2009, 03:55:19 PM »

Given room and food N. gigantea do get large, but honestly? No larger than some of the standard type day bloomers. Mostly they are leggy so can take loads of room.

Granted the pictures here are not N. gigantea, but the closely allied N. immutabilis and N. violacea. I let immutabilis get large, but I have purposely kept N. violacea small. While violacea doesn't look as impressive, it is doing what I want, which is giving me pollen and seed.<g>

And yes Scott, you are wrong by a 'Juno' mile.<g>

KatFish · « **Reply #21 on:** August 05, 2009, 04:24:05 PM »

Interesting. The mystery of the name deepens. Those are pretty flowers by the way!

KatFish · « **Reply #22 on:** August 05, 2009, 04:26:19 PM »

Oh, a quick search came up with a possible answer? They are supposed to have very large seeds. Maybe that's it?

Kat · « **Reply #23 on:** August 05, 2009, 04:43:43 PM »

The pads on the one I've got planted in a gallon pot are definitely getting large but I'd say they are in the same size range as Wood's Blue Goddess, Caliente, Avalanche, etc. that are planted the same way. As Craig mentions, they are rather leggy with really long pad stems. Doesn't bother me as I've got it stuck in with a bunch of other tropicals anyways.