Transcript Water Gardeners International

Truly Named
WGI ©
Water Gardeners International
Turning the Tide Against
Waterlily Identity Theft
Text by Charles B. Thomas
PowerPoint Presentation by Kit Knotts
Identity Problems
Since the waterlily is the highlight of your pond, it is essential
that you get what you pay for. When you purchase a particular
color, shape or type and it turns out to be something else, you
have every right to be disappointed.
The cheap and fast-multiplying Nymphaea mexicana is not what
you want when you pay a premium price for . . .
Nymphaea mexicana
Werner Wallner Photo
. . . the prized and more expensive miniature N. ‘Helvola’.
Nymphaea ‘Pygmaea Helvola’
Werner Wallner Photo
Even worse, when you
buy a waterlily with the
well-known name
N. ‘Joey Tomocik’ on its
label, it proves not to be
what you selected and
paid for, you are not
simply disappointed, but
possibly defrauded. You
have been unwillingly
subjected to a case of
waterlily identity theft.
Nymphaea ‘Joey Tomocik’
Kit Knotts Photo
Perhaps you are satisfied with any waterlily, even
though it is not labeled correctly, as long as it is
pretty but you should not be. Kit Knotts puts it this
way, “Would you be happy if you received a garment
in the wrong color or size? No! You would take
action! You would return it and, at the least, you
would expect an apologetic attitude together with a
prompt exchange or refund. If a seller made errors
repeatedly, would you continue to buy there? Why
should it be any different with your waterlily
supplier?”
In other words, if you
received the prolific
and cheap
Nymphaea mexicana
when you paid a
premium for the more
expensive
N. ‘Sunrise’ . . .
Nymphaea ‘Sunrise’
Kit Knotts Photo
. . . or N. ‘Mangkala Ubol’, you rightfully would feel cheated.
Nymphaea ‘Mangkala Ubol’
Kit Knotts Photo
When you buy a waterlily labeled “yellow”, it should bloom
yellow. You may pay a slight premium for a correctly labeled
named waterlily, but good reasons why exist. A named
waterlily displays specific, unique characteristics, special
qualities that made it worthy of naming. No other waterlily is
quite like it, but each plant that carries the name must be
identical. Growers produce new plants by dividing mature
plants or by growing them from tubers of the original, assuring
exact duplicates.
Many excellent waterlily sellers provide only plants grown as
described above. But . . .
Unfortunately, many uninformed and/or unscrupulous and/or
downright dishonest sellers tempt water gardeners with knockoffs
or incorrectly labeled waterlilies at cheap prices. They attach
well-known plant names to unknown or less popular varieties,
sometimes through ignorance but usually for profit.
Not Nymphaea gigantea blue form
Kit Knotts Photo
Nymphaea gigantea blue form
Rich Sacher Photo
Not Nymphaea ‘Missouri’
Kit Knotts Photo
Nymphaea ‘Missouri’
Kit Knotts Photo
Nymphaea ‘Missouri’
Kit Knotts Photo
Beyond the fact that this is wrong, consider some practical
aspects. Knowing the correct name of a lily allows you to
obtain information about its habit and cultivation. Is it suitable
for your climate? Is its size right for your pond? Does it require
any special care to do its best? Is it notoriously difficult or
especially easy? Correctly named waterlilies have a history
and a proven record of distinct qualities.
Misinformed or unscrupulous dealers offer N. ‘Leopardess’ in
various forms . .
Not Nymphaea ‘Leopardess’
Jessica Clements Photo
Only one form qualifies for the N. ‘Leopardess’ name. All others with
this name steal it – cases of identity theft. When you pay the price
for N. ‘Leopardess’, you should receive the real thing, not a fake
imitation with different characteristics.
Nymphaea ‘Leopardess’
Perry D. Slocum Photo
For several years up to 2006, some e-retailers offered Craig
Presnell’s marvelous N. ‘Serendipity’ (2001 IWGS/RHS
Banksian Medal winner) on their sites. Asked specifically
about positive correct identification, they (falsely) confirmed
correctness. Craig never released his unique winner.
Therefore, how could any e-retailer truthfully have it to sell?
Nymphaea ‘Serendipity’
Craig Presnell Photo
Accidental misidentification of waterlilies can happen. Sometimes in
a busy nursery, waterlilies lose their labels and then receive incorrect
labels from insufficiently trained (in waterlily ID) seasonal help.
Fertilized flowers can
produce seeds which sprout
new plants without any
labeling, and then can receive
an incorrect label.
Seedlings different from the
parent show in this image.
Diversity of seedlings from a single hybridization
by Pairat Songpanich, Thailand
X
Nymphaea ‘Mayla’
Nymphaea ‘Madame Wilfron Gonnère’
Consider the range of flower diversity that a single planned
cross between two waterlilies can produce. Renowned Thai
photographer and waterlily hybridizer Pairat Songpanich
carefully documented thirty distinctly different offspring from a
single cross of two waterlilies, N. ‘Mayla’ (pod parent) and N.
‘Madame Wilfron Gonnère’ (pollen parent). You can readily
understand that bees and other insects can cause serious
identity problems for a waterlily grower who is not diligent
about being alert for unintended seedlings. The same problem
can occur in the crowded tanks or ponds of retailers.
X
Remember, even though numerous hybrids produce sterile
flowers, chance seedlings do appear frequently. Many
waterlilies, especially night blooming tropicals, produce fertile
blossoms that readily reproduce, but not true to type.
Not Nymphaea ‘Red Flare’
Kit Knotts Photo
Nymphaea ‘Red Flare’
Kit Knotts Photo
Identity Solutions
During the mid-nineteenth century, three leading US waterlily
growers jointly addressed the need for correct identification and
labeling of their plants. These discerning producers also had
to double as retailers for their own production. In those times
local nurseries refused to be bothered with aquatic plants.
Charles Tricker (Tricker’s), Dr. G. L. Thomas, Jr. (Lilypons
Water Gardens, then Three Springs Fisheries), and Perry D.
Slocum (Slocum Water Gardens) met annually in Saddle
River, NJ, Adamstown, MD, or Binghamton, NY, to discuss
water garden matters. They always walked around their
premises making sure that all agreed on waterlily
identification. These invigorating annual meetings inspired the
1984 formation of the Water Lily Society (IWGS).
Dr. G.L. Thomas Jr.
Perry D. Slocum
Charles Tricker
The nurserymen consulted respected texts, especially
Henry S. Conard’s The Waterlilies, a monograph of the
genus nymphaea.
In 1974, Charles O. Masters published his Encyclopedia of the
water-lily that describes and color-illustrates more cultivars in a
single book than any previous work.
With Peter Robinson in 1996, Perry Slocum wrote Water Lilies
and Lotuses. Perry followed this in 2005 with another outstanding
identity aid, Waterlilies and Lotuses. IWGS Earlier, in 1993,
released its Identification of Hardy Nymphaea.
Kit Knotts made a huge advance with publication of the Waterlily
Image Galleries and Names List found on the partner
Victoria-Adventure and Water Gardeners International web sites.
Today over 1,700 names populate the Names List.
Waterlily Image Galleries and Names Lists
In early 2006, WGI’s members voted waterlily identity theft as their
top water gardening concern. Kit, Rich Sacher, and Craig Presnell,
with help from others, developed
Truly Named
Many excellent waterlily sellers provide only plants grown as
accurately described in WGI’s Official International Checklist of
Nymphaea (Waterlily) Names. Unfortunately, many uninformed
and/or unscrupulous and/or downright dishonest sellers tempt
water gardeners with knockoffs or incorrectly labeled waterlilies
at cheap prices. They attach well-known plant names to
unknown or less popular varieties, sometimes through
ignorance, but usually for profit.
Beyond the fact that this is wrong, consider some practical
aspects. As stated earlier, knowing the correct name of a lily
allows you to obtain specific information about it. Is it suitable for
your climate? Is its size right for your pond? Does it require any
special care to do its best? Is it notoriously difficult or especially
easy? Correctly named waterlilies have documented
characteristics and a proven performance record.
Truly Named
, the truth-in-labeling program of Water
Gardeners International, publishes a Directory of growers,
wholesalers and retailers who pledge to sell true to name
waterlilies. Many provide images and provenance linked from
the Directory.
WGI©
Check to see if your waterlilies are correctly named. Look in
the encyclopedic waterlily Image Galleries and the extensive
lists of Named Waterlilies on WGI/V-A sites. Recognized
waterlily experts continually review and update the lists.
You, the buyer, are the force that can stop waterlily identity
theft. By learning as much as you can about the lilies you
have and those you want to have, by insisting on correct
labeling and complaining when you don't receive it, by letting
WGI know about your experiences whoever the seller, you
benefit yourself and everyone who loves water gardening.
Truly Named
www.
WaterGardenersInternational.org