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More InfoNymphaea atrans flowers undergo a spectacular color sequence, initially blue and white, aging to a deep pink. Rumored to stay open 24 hours a day, but this has not been properly verified yet. This lily hails from New South Wales and Queensland.
Growing a Victoria can be one of the most rewarding accomplishments for any pond owner to claim. Their spectacular leaves and magnificent flowers are a focal point in any pond. The flowers open in the early evening and stay open into the next day. Chances are, you will be the only one on your block with one! Growing them is not terribly difficult once the plant is a well established seedling. It is getting them to that point that is the challenge. We germinate our seeds early in the year in our greenhouses, and bring them outside at about the middle of April, when the weather has warmed up. We make them available in May. To ensure live delivery, we recommend that they be shipped via Express Mail. Before you receive your Victoria, you should prepare for its arrival by acquiring the largest pot that you can find. We've had good results in 50 gallon containers. The plant will grow best when it is placed in the warmest, sunniest place possible. It should be placed so that the top of the pot is about 2 feet below the surface. The soil that you use can vary, but in general, it should be sandy, loamy, and richly fertilized. The use of manure, blood and bone meal, and timed-release fertilizers should be considered. We use our normal mix, augmented with some well-aged manure and lots of 12-8-8 and 3-12-12 Grow Power tablets. The mixed soil is placed in the pot, and the plant introduced as the soil is added to involve the roots with the soil. The plant is set so that the crown is at about level with the top of the pot. The pot is filled to within a few inches of the top with soil, which should then be capped with sand and lava rock. The entire thing is then ready to be lowered into the pond. When you introduce the plant to the pot, or any time that you move the plant, care should be taken to not break the leaf stems. The leaves, themselves, can have holes in them, and they will suffer some wounds from their own thorns, but holes in the leaves are not going to kill the plant. When the plant is in place, it will quickly replace the damaged leaves. Your Victoria is an annual, meaning that it will die in the winter. You should not expect it to recover with the new spring. You can collect seeds from the seedpods and germinate them in the spring. Instructions and assistance for this and all aspects of Victoria culture at www.Victoria-adventure.org.
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