Water Garden Journal the Lotus Issue

International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society Water Garden Journal 2nd Quarter, 2010 Volume 25, Number 2

The Lotus Issue Page 2 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2

In This Issue It’s time to plan for the

Page 2 2010 Symposium Information Page 3 Executive Director’s Comments by Larry Nau Page 4 President’s Comments by Jim Purcell Page 5 Remembering Jim by Elaine Lawrie 2010 Page 6 Long-lost Ancient Nelumbo Cultivar Discovered : Rare San Angelo, TX. USA Lotus Produces 1000 Petals an interview of Dr. Daike Tian by Waterlily Festival Larry Nau September 16 - 19, 2010 Page 8 IWGS Appoints New Nelumbo This will be the waterlily event of the Registrar century. Over 200 varieties and species plants by Larry Nau on display. Speakers to be announced later. Page 9 Overview and Future of Lotus Everyone who is anyone in the waterlily (Nelumbo) Breeding in China community will want to be there. Make plans by Qichao Wang and Xingyan to join us at The International Waterlily Col- Zhang lection for Lily Fest and the IWGS Waterlily Page 15 Evaluating the Potential of Festival. Lotus (Nelumbo spp.) Cultiva tion in Southeastern USA PART I: Evolution of Auburn 2011 University’s Lotus Project by Warner Orozco-Obando1, Ken Qingdao, China Tilt1, Bernice Fischman1, Floyd 1 1 July 22 - 26, 2011 Woods , Wheeler Foshee , This will be the a truly international event 1 1 Jeff Sibley , Fenny Dane , Ray at an international venue. There are already 1 1 mond Kessler , John Olive , Ar members committing to come from at least 5 1 2 nold Caylor , Jesse Chappell , different countries in the very early stages of 2 and David Cline this proposed symposium. Dates, costs and Page 21 Unforgettable John “Punkey” othere logistical details will be worked on Foard III throughout the coming quarter but we feel by Tim Davis & Tom Tilley compelled to get you to start thinking about Page 22 Lotus of India renewing your passport if necessary for an by Grant Mitchell exotic trip to a wonderous far-away land. Page 25 Ad Space Page 29 Society Information Visit www.iwgs.org For more information as it becomes available about these great opportunities. Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 3 Executive Director’s Comments “Nau Hear This” by Larry Nau A common outside threat always motivates and unites an organization. In 2010 the IWGS is confronting one of its biggest challenges as it tries to reshape the Texas White List. If implemented in its current form, this regulation will leave Texas with three species of waterlilies to grow out of the thousands of beautiful hybrids currently available. Many other aquatic plants will also not be permitted in Texas as they, too, are viewed as a threat to the Texas environment. The IWGS is very fortunate to have Rolf Nelson spearheading our efforts in Texas. Rolf, a founding member of the IWGS, has spent countless hours researching data, compiling lists and attending Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) meetings. Additional time has been spent soliciting support from fellow Texans in the water gardening industry and reaching out to manufacturers and distributors across the US. To put it simply, the response is remarkable and continues to grow day by day. The IWGS expresses its gratitude to Rolf and also to IWGS Director Mike Swize, who has been assisting Rolf every step of the way. Part of our success is due to recent updating and expanding our website. This makes Rolf’s job of explaining the Texas White List and the IWGS as an organization much easier by directing potential supporters to our website. Texan Tim Davis takes on our website challenge with gusto and determina- tion. As we supply updates and additions to Tim, he typically has them on the website within 24 hours! Thank you, Tim, for your time, extraordinary efforts and dedication. Another source of ideas and energy for our website comes from Zac DeGarmeaux of Ohio. Many of the new features on our website have been proposed by Zac. The most recent addition is a video featuring Rolf Nelson’s urgent message about the Texas White List and our upcoming San Angelo Sympo- sium. Zac purchased the camera, shot the video and generously shared it with IWGS and its commercial members. Video is the next generation of information format on the internet; thank you, Zac, for starting the IWGS on this new path. These are but a few of the dedicated individuals who are working to modify the Texas White List regulation. For me, it is a privilege to work along side and assist these outstanding individuals, but we need help from everyone in the IWGS. Today’s struggle is in Texas; soon it will be in New York. Issues are brewing in Wisconsin, New Mexico and across the big pond in the United Kingdom to limit our availability of aquatic plants and animals for our ponds. The lessons we learn in Texas are invaluable as we tackle the other legislative initiatives in the United States and around the world. We need your help. We need your participation: 1 – Join us in San Angelo this September. We are looking for as many attendees as possible present at this critical event as there is truly strength in numbers. 2 – Encourage fellow pond keepers to join the IWGS. Ask your local pond retailers if they are members. Please advise them to visit the IWGS website and learn about the Texas White List as the invasive species topic will be important in the years to come. 3 – Support our sponsors of this year’s Texas Symposium. Thanks to their generosity, we are offering one of the lowest registration fees in IWGS history. 4 – We need more activity, participation and contributions to our Journal, Let’s Talk Water Gardening, Facebook and our website. Share and post your pictures of ponds, waterfalls and aquatic plants. Help us educate others about the benefits and joys of water gardening. 5 – Never release non-native or ornamental aquatic plants or animals into your local pond, stream or lake. We need to be responsible water gardeners and follow this simple rule. Let’s lead by example and spread the good word! No single pond keeper, retailer, distributor, grower or manufacturer can successfully convince the Page 4 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Executive Director’s Comments “Nau Hear This” by Larry Nau State of Texas to re-evaluate its position on invasive aquatic plants. It takes our combined efforts, knowledge and persuasive skills to be successful. Fortunately, we have the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society as the umbrella organization that binds us together. Thank you for your IWGS membership and the many contributions many of you have made throughout the years. It is your initiatives, time, talent and sponsorships that have brought us to this point and made the IWGS a creditable and relevant organization. I am confident we will reach a compromise and find a workable solution thanks to the IWGS and its many resourceful members. See you in September. Larry President’s Comments by Jim Purcell Greetings, Membership— This is the glory season for water gardening, when both hardy and tropical waterlilies are in full bloom, and the pond is teeming with activity. So it is also with those of us in the pond industry, as late spring and early summer are when our year- round efforts (hopefully!) pay off. Because of the cyclic nature of our business, most IWGS projects slow or even temporarily cease, apart from the Journal and minimal maintenance. We pick up the pace again in late summer, and try to make up for lost time through winter, when the pattern repeats. One project that has not slowed is September’s IWGS Symposium in San Angelo, Texas. Many people are working hard to assure that this symposium is successful, with Nelson Water Gardens acting as lead organizer. While it is always important to have an excellent symposium, because of the pending aquatic plant “white list” legislation in Texas this year, it is especially critical to have good attendance. Texas legislators and regulators are attending the symposium and interacting with us on this issue. It is important that as an industry and a hobby, we show Texas how important aquatic plants are for us. Remember that many states, including northern states with very different climates, will be tempted to copy and use this legislation as is, regardless of its relevance to other climates. Given this fact, we need for the white list to not be overly restrictive for the Texas climate, not just for Texas, but for all of us. Fortunately, the San Angelo Symposium’s main draw is a stunning internationally acclaimed collection of waterlilies. To my knowledge, there has never a public collection displaying so many waterlily species or hybrids. Hybridizers from around the world (and in San Angelo) have been sending plants specifically for this symposium; I know that dozens of these cultivars have never been displayed pub- licly before. Equally attractive is the unique social opportunity presented by the gathering and network- ing of so many water gardening folk. We also have several other attractions planned, some of them in addition to those listed in the official brochure. If you are not already signed up for the symposium, please take a careful look at the symposium brochure and advertising. It is definitely worth your while to attend—not just for this year, but also for many years to come. I see our future including many legislative challenges to water gardening, from regulating the plants and animals to regulating water usage. Legislation we have seen so far in this country is just a precursor, and if we want to continue to enjoy our ponds, we need to be prepared. The San Angelo IWGS Sympo- sium is the critical next step in that process. Take care (and see you there), Jim Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 5 Remembering Jim James Alan Lawrie December 26, 1933 – March 13, 2010 By Elaine Lawrie Jim was born on the day after Christmas in Brooklyn, New York, of immigrant parents from Scotland and England. (Our two daughters always liked to joke that it was the second coming as the star moved from Bethlehem on the 25th to Brooklyn on the 26th for his birthday.) Hav- ing won the Scottish Amateur championship, his father arrived in America in 1929 to become a golf professional at a course in New Jersey. Unfortunately, the club closed during the Great Depression, ending his dad’s dream. Jim spent his youth in New Jersey. Jim and I met in Germany in 1956. He was a young, freshly minted Air Force officer following graduation from the Newark College of Engineering (now the New Jersey Institute of Tech- nology). While there on an ROTC scholarship, he earned a degree in chemical engineering. I was in Germany with my father, Director of Middle Eastern Languages for The Voice of America, and working in the Top Secret File Department of the US Consulate in Munich. Among other things the govern- ment taught me to say as little as possible and not to gossip, which sometimes frustrates friends and acquain- tances. Upon returning to the states in 1957, married, we lived in places from cold Buffalo, New York, to hot Houston, Texas, and in between and overseas. Although Jim would have loved to remain in the Air Force flying jets, color blindness kept him from it. He never could pick out a matching tie and shirt. Strangely enough, he had no trouble discerning the nuances of definitive color in waterlilies. Jim’s career turned to the business of Underwater Diving and Support Systems. When Jim wasn’t enjoying the company of Jon Lindbergh or Jacques Cousteau, recovering a lost hydrogen bomb off the coast of Spain, or designing an underwater rover for the latest James Bond movie, he rewrote the current volumes of the US Navy Diving Manual. Water was a constant in his life; he built larger and larger lily ponds with every move to a new home. (It was not lost on his daughters that the same effort might have provided a swimming pool, but that was not to be.) In the 70s while living in Vienna, Virginia, Jim and I co-chaired the building committee for a mission United Church of Christ church that we built from the ground up. Once Jim committed to something, he gave it his all as evidenced by that flourishing church, our 53 years of marriage, and his enthusiastic com- mitment to IWGS. We met noted landscape architect John Meeks during the1986 IWGS Symposium in St Louis, Missouri. John had recently purchased Tricker’s historic Saddle River establishment; he needed a capable, knowledge- able general manager to oversee the operation. Having grown up in New Jersey, Jim was very familiar with Tricker’s. He was especially pleased to accept John’s offer to transition from an amateur to a professional water gardener. His chemical engineering background was invaluable in assisting people to achieve a truly balanced and beautiful water feature, especially when it came to the growing interest of having koi in water features. Thereafter Jim attended every symposium until his 1999 retirement from Waterford. He soon found himself as an active member of the IWGS Board of Directors and moved swiftly up the ladder to become its president. In recognition of his international work furthering the cause of water gardening, Germany’s Gesellschaft der Wassergarten-Freunde presented Jim with their Silber (Silver) Award at its annual symposium in Kassel in 1999. Subsequently, we attended several more splendid IWGS meetings. Jim loved teaching water gardening classes at Rutgers and various botanic gardens. Additionally, he edited several books on the subject. Jim was a truly good, generous and caring soul -- our daughters often commented that he would try to help little old ladies across the road even if they didn’t want to go. We both loved to travel; we put pins in a map of places we visited. Pins are located in 43 countries. We had plans to add more this summer. Over our 53 years of global travel, being with all of our water gardening friends is what we treasured most Page 6 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Long-lost Ancient Nelumbo Cultivar Discovered Rare Lotus Produces 1000 Petals Interview of Dr. Daike Tian by Larry Nau Dr. Daike Tian discovered the long-lost Nelumbo ‘Zhiun Qianban’ (‘Ultimate Thousand-petal’ in Eng- lish) in South China in 2009. It is the third cultivar found of the ancient thousand-petalled lotus group after ‘Qianban Lian’ and ‘Yiliang Qianban’. IWGS presents Larry Nau’s exclusive interview with Dr. Tian. Larry: So there is a grouping or “family” of 1000 petal type lotus? Do you have pictures of the other two varieties? Daike: Yes there is a group of 1000-petal type lotus based on clas- sification of lotus. According the form of lotus flower, lotus can be divided into the following types: single flower/few-petalled, semi- double, double, duplicate-petalled, and thousand-petalled which is an extreme form of double lotus. I have pictures for one of other two cultivars and will send both to you. Larry: Is there a record of approximately when or where they were created? I assume they are sterile as all the reproductive parts have been lost, right? Daike: Yes, no record exists on where and when ‘Ultimate Thousand-petalled’ was created. However, ‘Qian Ban Lian’ (thousand-petalled lotus) was documented 1300 years ago in a Chinese book. It was introduced into Japan a long time ago and still can be seen now in Japan. ‘Yiliang Qian Ban’ was found in Yiliang county of Yunnan province. ‘Qian Ban Lian’ produces one to five hearts ina a bloom on a stalk. Somebody says ‘Qian Ban Lian’ and ‘Yiliang Qian Ban’ are the same. I introduced all of them and continue with more studies for identification. Larry: Are they grown as a unique flower or do they have some other meaning or significance? Good luck? Are they used at weddings, funerals, and/or religious ceremonies? Daike: They are very precious due to their unique flowers, but there is not any religious meaning we know of so far. ‘Ultimate Thousand-petal’ is superior to the other two cultivars (the others being not suitable as cut flowers) because of its beautiful flower and strong stalk.This is why I call it ‘ultimate thousand-petal’. Its cut flower is a perfect choice for decoration for the opening ceremony of a conference, dinner reception, wedding, etc. I’m going to conduct an investigation on production, post-harvest physiology, and utilization of cut flowers of this cultivar. Larry: This lotus was cultivated by a plant collector in a traditional stone pounder in Shunde of Guangdong province, and it fortunately survived through the disaster of the Chinese Cultural Revolu- tion (1966-1976). What is a traditional stone pounder? Is it a stone dish used to hold grain while being processed? How big are they (volume in liters)? Would this be a rural area of China? Daike: The traditional stone pounder is a tool/structure/utensil used for grinding rice, corn, pepper, and other any dry or wet food. It is commonly seen in the rural regions of Asian countries and can still be occasionally seen in some places in China. It is something like a mortar, but much bigger. This one survived the disaster because the stone structure is hard to break. Larry: Please explain what the “disaster of the Chinese Cultural Revolution” means. My basic knowledge of Chinese history is limited, sorry. Why would it be important to destroy a beautiful flower? Did it represent “traditional” China? Is it correct to assume there was a serious effort to “destroy” plants that represented the old China? Were there any guidelines as to which plants had to be Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 7 Long-lost Ancient Nelumbo Cultivar Discovered Rare Lotus Produces 1000 Petals Interview of Dr. Daike Tian by Larry Nau destroyed? Daike: The Chinese Cultural Revolution is one of the most troublesome events in Chinese history. It was lead by Chairman Mao and almost a ruin for China. Due to it, China lost so many lives, especially those of talented, educated people. It stopped or damaged the development of our economy, education, science, and more. Go to Google and then you will understand it more. I only know it from books and movies because I was a baby or very young child during that time. Throughout that period, you could not grow plants of your choosing and, of course, you were not allowed to have your own garden at all. Larry: Did you lose many “traditional lotus” during this time period? Were only the food type of lotus supposed to be kept? Daike: Of course, China lost many valuable books, cultural traditions, items of our heritage, and some cultivars of ornamentals including lotus. The education and scientific research was almost stopped for a ten-year period. Otherwise, China would be much better off than it is today. Larry: In the early 1980s, Mr. Changing Chen, a farmer living in Goshen, bought a tuber costing 2 RMB (0.3$) from a plant collector and since then has been cultivating it in a small nursery. When you say 0.3$ are you saying 30 cents (US$ 0.30)? Daike: Yes, 2 RMB = US$0.30 (30 cents) based on current exchange rate. Larry: Did you take any pictures of this nursery where you found it? Were there any other interesting water plants there? Daike: I have several pictures of that ‘nursery’. It is particularly small, less than 2000 square meters. The owners are a couple of about 65 years old. They have only several cultivars of lotus and a few other ornamentals just for making a living with the help of one part-time worker. The original modern collector of this cultivar is certainly dead and can not be reached for more information. Larry: However, it remains questionable on when is the first time for occurrence of this lotus. ‘Ulti- mate Thousand-petal’ is a large-sized fantastic lotus. The diameter of the flower is how large? How tall is the plant? Does it flower well? Do we describe this as a pink? Do you have an RHS color chart to describe the color? Are you growing this in your collection? Anything else special about it? Daike: The flower has more than one thousand petals (ca 1500) when grown in a pool or pond, but also can be sometimes less than 1000 petals when grown in containers. The stamens and pistils completely degenerated and disappeared. With the strong stalks and large slow-blooming beautiful flowers, this cultivar will be a potential cut-flower. Larry:This is great information! Thank you for your efforts.

Plant/Leaf height: 156-207cm (61-81”) from the bottom of the water in a pond. Leaf diameter: 41-76 cm (16-30”) long, 31-66 cm (12-26”) wide. Flower height: 140-184 cm (55-72”) from the bottom of water (soil surface) in the pond, 140 cm (55”) ca from the soil level when planted in containers. Flower color: Pink with red or deeper red margin and tip. The basal part of petal is white to light yellow. Page 8 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Long-lost Ancient Nelumbo Cultivar Discovered Rare Lotus Produces 1000 Petals Interview of Dr. Daike Tian by Larry Nau Flower size: 10-16 cm (4-6”) ca. Flower petal number: 649-1650 - depending on whether it is grown in a container or a pond, most originate from stamens.

Other information: Large leaves have 21-22 veins, petiole diameter is 11-20 mm (0.4-0.9”), and stalk diameter is 9-15 mm (0.4-0.6”). Flower is usually held below the leaves at the same nodal site and opens slowly. The long bubble-like petals in the center of the flower originate from carpels which are completely degenerated and absent. Of course, this cultivar is completely sterile.

Photos on pages 6 - 8 by Dr. Daike Tian

IWGS Appoints New Nelumbo Registrar by Larry Nau

The IWGS is pleased to announce the appointment of Daike Tian Ph. D. as the new Nelumbo registrar. Dr. Tian received his master’s degree from Kunming Institute of Bot- any, Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China in September 1999. His work focused on horticultural studies on Begonia versicolor. In August 2008 he received his Ph. D. from Auburn University in Alabama USA. His dissertation was called “Container production and post- harvest handling of lotus (Nelumbo) and micropropagation of herbaceous peony (Paeonia).” Dr. Tian is currently a professor at South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Guangzhou, China. He is concentrating on the introduction, evaluation, breeding of ornamental plants especially lotus, Alpinia, Begonia and Hibiscus cinnamomifolius. He is working towards creating an international lotus database which will compile lotus history, morphology, physiology, taxonomy, lotus insects, identification, breeding, cultivation, culture and uses for all cultivars around the world. Photo by Zac DeGarmeaux Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 9 Overview and Future of Lotus (Nelumbo) Breeding in China Qichao Wang - Lotus Branch of Chinese Flower Association, Wuhan, China Xingyan Zhang - China Lotus Research Center, Wuhan, China Translated by Daike Tian

Abstract: The lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) has a very long history in Chinese culture. This article out- lines an evolutionary history of Chinese lotus cultivars. Many wonderful cultivars have been produced in Chinese history, but few of them have been handed down to the present. The cultivars are a result of either natural or artificial selection, not due to intentional human breeding process with the intention of introduction and cultivation. The real breeding work began in the 1960s, and mainly through traditional breeding methods, Chinese lotus breeding has made the impressive achievements in the past thirty years. Now, China grows over 800 cultivars and has the largest number of lotus cultivars in the world. Being driven by the market’s needs, Chinese lotus breeding in the future will put a priority on creating the following new cultivars: large-size deep-water-tolerant lotus, shade-tolerant bowl lotus, cultivars with long flowering duration, cultivars with novel color, pest resistant cultivars, cultivars suitable for cool Euro- pean summers, and cultivars both good-looking and edible. Overview Lotus has at least 5,000 years of lotus growing history since the two carbonized lotus seeds were found on the sites of “Yangshao Culture” (5,000 - 3,000 BC) in Zhengzhou, Henan of China. It has more than 2,500 years of history in cultivation since the construction of “Pond of Playing Flowers” (490 BC or so), which was built by Fu Chai, the King of Wu, for Xi Shi for enjoying lotus in Lingyan Hill of Suzhou. ‘Hua Lian’ (flower lotus), cultivated by the Chinese ancestors before Christ, is purely a few-petalled red cultivar of the “wild lotus”. During centuries of cultivation, the genetic composition of flower lotus is gradually becoming complicated, and the petalody has transformed a few-petalled flower to semi-double, double, duplicate-petalled, thousand-petalled form. As a result, some excellent cultivars occurred in Chinese dynasties. However, due to the continuous wars in the Chinese feudal society, many lotus cultivars from either the royal parks or private gardens have not been handed down to the middle 1700s. There were 33 cultivars of pot- or jar-lotus in the southern regions of China according to the book of Hong He Pu (Pot Lotus) (1808) written by Zhongbao Yang in the Qing dynasty. Some cultivars can still be seen, like ‘Hong Qian Ye’, ‘Bai Qian Ye’, ‘Chong Tai Lian, ‘Qian Ban Lian’, ‘Bi Lian’, ‘Fo Zuo Lian’, ‘Da Sa Jin’, ‘Jiao Rong San Bian’, ‘Xiao Bi Lian’, ‘Wa Wa Lian’, ‘Zhuo Shang Lian’, ‘Jin Bian Lian’ and ‘Xiamen Wan Lian’, and so on. These cultivars came from natural or artificial selection, not from the human’s intentional breeding. In the early 1960s, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences produced ‘Zhong-Ri You Yi Lian’ (Sino-Japanese Friendship Lotus) by crossbreeding the Chinese ‘Gu Dai Lian’ (ancient lotus) and the Japanese ancient lotus ‘Oga Lotus’. This work marked the beginning of directed breeding of lotus in Chinese history. Unfortunately, due to an unprecedented disaster (Chinese Cultural Revolution), the lotus breeding work ceased for nearly ten years. In the late 1960s, the researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Landscape & Gardening (WILG), and the Administration of Wuhan East Lake (AWEL) began to collect and sort out Chinese lotus cultivars. Three years later, 41 lotus cultivars from across China were re-introduced to Wuhan. Together with the cultivars introduced from Japan and the American yellow lotus (Nelumbo lutea Pers.), the total number of cultivars became 57. These plant materials became the crucial genetic basis for breeding new lotus cultivars. From 1980 to 1985, the 88 new lotus cultivars, including a rare natural triploid ‘Yan Yang Tian’ (Bright Sky), were bred through a cooperative work of WILG and the East Lake Institute of Flower & Bosai. Meanwhile, the cultivars with high ornamental values were produced by Wuhan Botanical Gar- Page 10 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Overview and Future of Lotus (Nelumbo) Breeding in China Qichao Wang - Lotus Branch of Chinese Flower Association, Wuhan, China Xingyan Zhang - China Lotus Research Center, Wuhan, China Translated by Daike Tian den, such as ‘Man Jiang Hong’, ‘Ying Bin Fu Rong’, and the Sino-American hybrids like ‘Xiao Wu Hui’, ‘Fei Long’, ‘Mei Zhong Hong’ and ‘Xiang Nü Sang Hua’. During this period, the artificial direct selection and crossbreeding were the major methods for lotus breeding. Other approaches like radiation breeding and polyploidy breeding have been tried and already produced some preliminary results. In 1989, as the first lotus-related book in the 20 century, Chinese Lotus Flower Cultivars written by Qichao Wang and Xingyan Zhang was published. This book covered 162 lotus cultivars both introduced and newly bred in Wuhan region. Since then, Wuhan has become a center of cultivation and breeding of flower lotus. From the late 1980s to the 1990s, with the popularity of lotus cultivation and the encouragement of Chinese Annual Lotus Show and New Cultivar Evaluation, the breeding interests of lotus fans across the country were greatly stimulated. The studies on lotus breeding have been conducted by more and more institutions, such as the China Lotus Research Center (CLRC), Hangzhou West Lake, Beijing Botanical Garden (Chinese Academy of Sciences), the Vegetable Research Institute of Hunan Academy of Agri- culture (HAA), Jingzhou Technical School in Hubei Province, Jiangxi Institute of White Lotus Research (JIWLR). Through breeding, the positive results have been obtained, and the quality and ornamental values of lotus cultivars have been improved. For instance, with the treatment of Co-60 radiation, the Vegetable Research Institute of HAA obtained a double-flower lotus, ‘Dang Ding Yü E’, from the few-petalled seed lotus, ‘Xiang Bai Lian 06’. Again in 1994, JIWLR conducted an experiment on lotus breeding project using the conditions of outer space. The lotus seeds traveled into space via the Chi- nese “940703” recoverable satellite and produced mutation. After sowing, the first generation contained huge separation and variation, and from which, the new cultivars like ‘Space Lotus 1’, ‘Space Lotus 2’, ‘Space Lotus 3’ and ‘Space Lotus 36’ have been obtained through two years of comparative experiment. Compared with the common lotus, a significant improvement of both quality and yield has been made in the “space lotus” series. In 1999, China Lotus Flower Cultivars • Continued documented 170 lotus cultivars, including the majority bred in the past ten years and a small part introduced traditional cultivars. Among these, 108 cultivars were bred by CLRC. To the end of the 20th century, the books China Lotus Flower Cultivars and China Lotus Flower Cultivars • Continued have already documented 332 lotus cultivars, which covered 80% of lotus cultivars in China and ranked first in the world. During the seven years between the end of the 20th century and the early 21st century, lotus breeding in China was in full swing. More breeders joined, more objects were covered, and more significant achievements were obtained in lotus breeding with the addition of 276 new cultivars, including the double-flower lotus from mutants of seed lotus after space radiation treatment, such as ‘Chan Juan’ with white petals, ‘Jiao Yang Zui Wu’ and ‘Xing Kong Mu Dan’ with pink petals, ‘Feng Juan Hong Qi’ with red petals and so on. Sanshui Lotus World (SLW) successfully bred the tropical-type lotus, such as ‘Dong Hua Hong’, ‘Ao Shuang’ and ‘Xue Li Hong Hua’, with the flowering duration lasting for eight months in the Pearl River Delta. By the radiation breeding technique, Nanjing Lotus Garden (NLG, http://www.yileen.com.cn/) has produced the lotus cultivars suitable for cut-flower production, such as ‘Nü Mu Dan’, ‘Yü Ji Shan’, ’Jin Tai Yang’, ‘Jü Wu Ba’, ‘Huan Qing’ and ‘Chun Hong’, etc. The total number of Chinese lotus cultivars amounts to 608 including those in the books of China Lotus Flower Cultivars and China Lotus Flower Cultivars • Continued. From this point, there is no doubt that China is the richest country in lotus germ- Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 11 Overview and Future of Lotus (Nelumbo) Breeding in China Qichao Wang - Lotus Branch of Chinese Flower Association, Wuhan, China Xingyan Zhang - China Lotus Research Center, Wuhan, China Translated by Daike Tian plasm resources. In 2005, all these cultivars were included in the new edition of China Lotus Flower Cultivars, published simultaneously in separate Chinese and English versions (translated by Mangzhu Bao). The authors of the book have given the English version copy to the International Society for Hor- ticultural Science, and proposed the request of registration of Chinese lotus cultivars. The request has been approved by the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society (IWGS), the International Registration Authority for cultivars of Nelumbo. In a letter on April 25, 2006, Virginia Hayes, the former International Nelumbo Registrar, replied to the authors that “No further work is needed to include the 608 cultivars listed in your book. That publication suffices as the dated reference needed to post them to the list.” Since then, the cultivars listed in China Lotus Flower Cultivars have received the internationally recognized “identity”. In the beginning of the 21st Century, because a large number of new lotus cultivars were popularized and greatly welcomed in the market, Chinese lotus breeders have been encouraged to redouble their efforts to create higher quality cultivars. Between 2009 and 2010, except another thousand-petalled lotus rediscovered in the countryside and ‘Ming Mei Lian’，a yellow flower cultivar introduced from Japan, nearly 200 cultivars were newly bred in China. Among them, the red double ‘Chang Ban Da Hong’ and pink double ‘Fen Tuan’ were bred by Beijing Normal University and the other institutions from ‘Bai- yangdian Hong Lian’ through ion implantation technique. ‘Guo Qing Hong’, a large-sized cultivar with red double flowers and longer inflorescence, was bred by ChongqinYameijia Aquatic Flower Co., Ltd. Corp. through crossbreeding of ‘Dong Hua Hong’ , a tropical type lotus and ‘Tai Kong Hong Qi’, a cultivar of “space-lotus” lines. ‘Muling Qiu Se’, a large-medium sized cultivar with yellow flower was bred by NLG from the hybrids of the American yellow lotus and Chinese lotus. ‘Mei Yan Jia Ren’, a tropical- type double flower cultivar and ‘Jü Ren’ with deep-water tolerance, were bred by SLW. ‘Lü Zhu’, a cultivar with ball-shape green bud and flower selected from the seedlings, and red double ‘Donghu Qing Si’ and double pink ‘Nan Gui Yan’ from ‘Die Lian Hua’ treated by radiation, were bred by CLRC. The pink double ‘Quancheng Yu Nü’ was bred by Jinan Daminghu Park. The red double ‘Hong Lou Meng’ and white double ‘Xue Tao’ were bred by Jiangsu Yangcheng Ailian Yuan. ‘Laoshan Hong Ri’ and ‘Laoshan Hong Wan’ were produced by Qing Dao Waterlily World from continuous self-pollination of ‘Mang Jiang Hong’. The newly bred cultivars will be published soon in New Lotus Flower Cultivars of China in both Chinese and English. Based on the above information, it is easy to understand that China, as a country with a long history in lotus cultivation, started directed-breeding late but has obtained significant achievements in the 30 years since 1980. Currently, China has at least over 800 cultivars of lotus, 90% of which are newly introduced and 608 cultivars were documented in the book of Chinese Lotus Flower Cultivars (2005). Future Direction of Lotus Breeding The objectives of flower breeding have often been driven by the interests and preferences of the breeders. The rise and fall of all walks of life is heavily dependent on the market’s demands in today’s society featuring a market-oriented economy. Therefore, the advance and retreat of lotus breeding is certainly related to the fluctuation of the market’s needs. Also, the direction and focus of lotus breeding are influenced by the historical background. The breeders should always investigate the market conditions and be more farsighted in order to conduct a rewarding long-term breeding program. Although the traditional breeding method has more blindness and randomness rather than science, it is Page 12 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Overview and Future of Lotus (Nelumbo) Breeding in China Qichao Wang - Lotus Branch of Chinese Flower Association, Wuhan, China Xingyan Zhang - China Lotus Research Center, Wuhan, China Translated by Daike Tian still the most universal and effective breeding method featuring simplicity and easy manipulation. There- fore, this method should not be abandoned. With today’s fast development of science and technology, it is important for the breeders to produce new varieties of lotus through the high-tech approaches. In fact, many achievements currently made are from the universities, academic research institutions, and compa- nies with talented staff, quality equipment, and ample funding. The future goals of lotus breeding should be focused on: Large-sized deep-water-tolerant cultivars Protection of the ecological environment is the protection of human existence. The wetland conservation and restoration is an important part of ecological protection. Since China joined the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in 1992, the projects on wetland protection and restoration have already begun across China. Many achievements have been realized. More efforts must be made in greening and landscaping water areas so our cities improve their appearances and become known as pleasant places for citizens and visitors. These efforts are providing extensive opportunities for application of lotus and other aquatic plants. The problem is that we have a large number of lotus germplasm resources but fewer cultivars with high ornamental values which can tolerate water depth of over 1.5 meters (5 feet). Currently, the production of deep-water tolerant cultivars is still on a small scale, therefore far from meeting the demand of the market. The short-term goal of lotus breeders should be focused on the deep-water tolerant cultivars. Lotus usually grows favorably in shallow water. A cultivar found in Puzhehei Natural Reserve can tolerate 3.2 meters (10.5 feet) of water depth in the wild. Therefore, it is possible to breed a lotus cultivar which can tolerate water depth of over two meters (six feet). Micro-, shade-tolerant cultivars of bowl lotus Bowl lotus refers to the small-sized ornamental lotus cultivars that can be planted in a bowl. It has a huge potential in the market of house plants. However, little success was obtained in application during the 20 years of market promotion due to the following reasons. First, like other lotus, bowl lotus is not shade-tolerant. It barely blooms on the balcony with less than six hours of daily direct sunlight. The bowl lotus with buds and flowers begin to bloom can be moved indoors for pleasure, but must be moved outdoor or to terrace with plenty sunlight to promote its growth within three days. Otherwise, it is a disappointment since the flower buds and leaves may wilt in a short time period. Second, either the plant size is too large with leaves over 20 centimeters (8 inches) and flower 10 centimeters (4 inches) in diameter, or the containers over 20 centimeters (8 inches) in diameter are too big and laborious to move. Zun Sheng Ba Jian (by Gao Lian in 1591) recorded “a small lotus with coin-sized flowers”. In the 1960s, we saw a real bowl lotus planted in a bowl (14 cm [5.5”] diameter) in a residence in Suzhou, China. Also, we saw a micro-lotus in the containers only 13-14 centimeters (5.5 inches) in diameter at the Lotus Show of Thailand in 2007. Therefore, breeding of mini-shade-tolerant bowl lotus will have a great potential in the market. Long-blooming cultivars Flowering duration could be classified at the single-flower level and group (or population) level.The duration of a single lotus flower is generally three to four days.The group flowering period can last for three months in pond and less than two months in jars, but only one month or so for bowl lotus in small containers. Lotus fans often feel pity for the short-flowering duration of lotus and the fact that under normal conditions lotus can’t meet the public desire for lotus flowers during Chinese Golden Holidays Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 13 Overview and Future of Lotus (Nelumbo) Breeding in China Qichao Wang - Lotus Branch of Chinese Flower Association, Wuhan, China Xingyan Zhang - China Lotus Research Center, Wuhan, China Translated by Daike Tian

of “May First” and “October First”. The good news is that the situation has changed a little bit because Sanshui Lotus World already enjoys success in breeding of tropical cultivars since the beginning of this century. The tropical cultivars can bloom outdoors from early May to late December in the Pearl River Delta. The flowering duration is nearly eight months. In Wuhan of Hubei Province, the flower duration can last for five months from mid-June to mid-November. Therefore, hybridizers are encouraged to breed the tropical lotus cultivars including the hybrids of tropical and temperate lotus, and to breed the cultivars with longer flowering duration. These cultivars will have a bright prospect in application. Cultivars with novel colors There are only three basic colors in Chinese lotus, namely red, pink and white. According to the Chinese historical records, the single and double lotus cultivars with yellow flowers, and ‘Sa Jin Lian’ (a cultivar with sparse golden spots or strips on petals) occurred in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). ‘Mi Bo’ (honey pot) was included in Hong He Pu of the Qing Dynasty. Unfortunately, these cultivars have lost. Since yellow flowered American lotus was introduced in the second half of the 1990s, the flower colors of lotus in China gradually become enriched. Based on several hundreds breed cultivars, lotus find it difficult to compete with chrysanthemums and roses in colors due to the lack of a ‘blue gene’ in Nelumbo. To obtain new lotus cultivars with more diverse and beautiful colors, application of the high-tech breeding methods should be considered such as cell fusion and gene transfer technology using non-Nelumbo- naceae species with blue color gene sources. Although it might be very difficult, the success should be obtained as long as certain conditions are met and the experiment is conducted persistently. Breeding more cultivars of thousand-petalled type Thousand-petalled lotus is an extreme form of the double-flower cultivars in Chinese lotus. ‘Qian Ban Lian’, a pink cultivar and the only thousand-petalled lotus, has been showing its beauty over 1,000 years. Recently, two other cultivars have been discovered, namely ‘Yilian Qian Ban’ and ‘Zhi Zun Qian Ban’, both with pink flowers. Professor Guozhen Huang has investigated the evolutionary mechanism of lotus flower form from single to thousand-petalled flower because of infinite proliferation. He concluded that the thousand-petalled flower resulted from a series of changes in chromosome and DNA structure under the strong influence of overwhelming disaster factors. To breed the thousand-petalled cultivar with novel colors, it is only achieved through one of the following treatments, such as the radiation of Co-60 at a strong dose, space radiation, and ion implantation. The breeders may try to do these methods as the conditions allow. Once it is successful, the contribution will be extraordinary. Pest-resistant cultivars Here it refers to a cultivar that does not succumb to serious pest problems. As we all know, in the vast Yangtze River areas, the major region for lotus cultivation, there is usually no pest disaster for lotus. However, in the Pearl Delta subtropical region, the chilli thrips (Scirtotuthrips dorsalis Hood) have rap- idly expanded. They have even extended to the common lotus cultivars and already have become a pest disaster since the tropical lotus has been introduced and widely cultivated. This tiny insect is difficult to see with the naked eyes and has a wide range of land-based hosts. The chilli thrips continuously mul- tiply over the year and begin to suck the juice beneath the young leaves causing the attacked leaves to shrink, decease in greenness, lose color and luster, and even die. Although the flowers are only slightly affected, the ornamental value of the plants in the entire pond diminishes due to serious damage of a number of leaves. It is only effective to kill chilli thrips on the hosts by spraying insecticide at a suitable Page 14 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Overview and Future of Lotus (Nelumbo) Breeding in China Qichao Wang - Lotus Branch of Chinese Flower Association, Wuhan, China Xingyan Zhang - China Lotus Research Center, Wuhan, China Translated by Daike Tian time, but hard to control as chilli thrips fly among the lotus leaves.Therefore, the control of chilli thrips is becoming the most labor-consuming work for lotus management of Sanshui Lotus World in China. On the other hand, it has been found that a few cultivars are only very slightly affected and show a strong resistance to chilli thrips. From this point, breeding of chilli-thrips-resistant cultivars will benefit the extension and sustainable development of tropical lotus. The cultivars suitable for the European climate The European Atlantic coast countries with mid-latitude (40°-60°), such as Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Denmark, etc., have a temperate maritime climate, with a significant feature of warm winter and cool summer. It is year-round mild and rainy without a very cold winter. The average temperatures are below 22 C° (72F°) in the hottest month (July) and only 17 C°-28 C° (63 F°-82 F°) for the hottest time in the late July. The people in these countries love the flowers, especially the large-sized flowers. Thus, each year importers introduce a large quantity of cut flowers from other countries. The lotus should be one of the best choices for them. Although the European countries have continuously imported lotus from the East for 100 years, unfortunately, little success has been obtained because lotus can not adapt to a cool summer climate. The flowers of eastern lotus could be only seen in the greenhouses of botanical gardens in those countries. The huge European flower market needs the breeders’ contribution in introducing lotus cultivars suitable for a cool-temperature climate. The cultivars with dual uses Lotus was originally an economic plant combining ornamental, edible and medicinal values. Later, the cultivar groups were bred and classified based on different special values and the purpose of utilization. For the majority of flower lotus, the underground rhizomes have no edible values, the stamens turn into petals and the pistils develop into bubble-like structures or petals. The plants bear few fruits, even no fruits. The seed lotus blooms first and bears fruits later. Therefore, it has both ornamental and edible uses. However, the seed lotus has not been popularly used as an ornamental due to its single or less petalled flowers for most cultivars. The majority of edible lotus (also called rhizome lotus) don’t bloom or have few flowers. Therefore, they virtually have no ornamental value. Currently, wetland restoration and water gardens are the largest market for lotus. The most popular cultivars are the lotus which can produce both productive flowers and fruits. Thus, the breeders should have a deep insight into the market’s trends and breed the dual-purpose cultivars. Reference Qichao Wang and Xingyan Zhang. Chinese Lotus Flower Cultivars. China Forestry Press, Beijing. 2005.

Photo by Zac DeGarmeaux Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 15 Evaluating the Potential of Lotus (Nelumbo spp.) Cultivation in Southeastern USA PART I: Evolution of Auburn University’s Lotus Project Warner Orozco-Obando1, Ken Tilt1, Bernice Fischman1, Floyd Woods1, Wheeler Foshee1, Jeff Sibley1, Fenny Dane1, Raymond Kessler1, John Olive1, Arnold Caylor1, Jesse Chappell2, and David Cline2 Dept. of Horticulture1 and Dept. of Fisheries and Related Aquacultures2. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849

In the Beginning In 1998, a couple of Auburn University profes- sors and graduate students were enjoying their first visit to China as guests of a former AU graduate student, Dr. Hongwen Huang, then head of Wuhan Botanical Gardens. Like most new visitors and those who experienced China’s summer Olympics on television, they were overwhelmed by the scale of everything the Chinese have done and continue to do. The Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Ter- racotta soldiers and people, people, everywhere were samples of a new “WOW” at every turn. They found no dark, lonely, scary alleys. They were all filled with people doing business. Today’s skyline is littered with cranes building new high rises. The Chinese also love and cherish their gardens and public spaces. For a horticulturist to visit 1000 year old gardens and see ageless ginkgoes, deodar cedars, large (with the emphasis on LARGE!) expanses of cherries, peonies, azaleas, lilacs, and being introduced for the first time to acres of lotus, is a life-changing event. Breath-taking! We immediately began to real- ize the reverence and passion the Chinese have for this incredible plant that is rarely mentioned in the US except in reference to computer software or within small circles of the automotive world. Even though we have beautiful displays of native lotus (Nelumbo lutea) in Alabama, it is not a common plant name uttered by gardeners. It is possibly lumped with bamboo as a potential invasive plant within the sport fisherman’s world. However, during that and subse- quent visits, our limited boundar-

Photos on pages 15 - 20 by Warner Orozco-Obando Page 16 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Evaluating the Potential of Lotus (Nelumbo spp.) Cultivation in Southeastern USA PART I: Evolution of Auburn University’s Lotus Project ies for horticulture displays, even after experiencing the incredible gardens of Europe, were forever changed. We even saw new gardens being instantly developed with incredible, mind-boggling scope and speed. It is amazing what you can do with a workforce of 10,000 laborers planting plants, laying intricate, artistic walks, moving 100-year-old trees, and carving out large water features. It is like an army of ants attacking a piece of chocolate cake at a picnic. The centerpiece of much of this activity, especially in Wuhan, was lotus. We were hooked, but the task of importing this vision to the US, and Alabama in particular, was daunting. We kept uttering that old phrase, “You just had to have been there!” That was the start of the evolution of the Auburn University Lo- tus Project. Like any research/marketing program, it requires a core of passionate people and money or the potential of money from grant- ing agencies or investors. It began slowly by evaluating different ac- cessions of ornamental, edible, and wild lotus. What are the best of the best plants for our area? How do you grow them commercially in our culture without the people-power of China? Where could lotus fit in our economy and make a difference? There are many pretty faces to grow in our garden world. Why pick lotus? We found our match and mission in Alabama’s Black Belt region (Tilt et al, 2009a). The Black Belt region, once known for fertile rich soils and lucrative cotton production, lost its afflu- ence as the soils were overworked and lost their ability to support vigorous plant growth. The region fell into chronic economic and social poverty and presented frustrating challenges to restore its economic prominence, especially in the arena of traditional crop production. Soils in the area are poorly drained and worthless to traditional farmers trying to eek out a living. However, those nasty, uninhabitable soils are like the famous briar patch to Brer Rabbit. “Please, oh please, don’t throw me there,” Brer Lotus Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 17 Evaluating the Potential of Lotus (Nelumbo spp.) Cultivation in Southeastern USA PART I: Evolution of Auburn University’s Lotus Project said, “into that gushy mud!” Lotus could not find a better fit. A well-established aquaculture tradi- tion added to the perfect situation. The state has the land and water resources to support an industry ten times its current size. Training small farmers to convert their knowledge and focus to take advantage of its natural water resources became the goal. Adding lotus as a double-crop could contribute significantly to economic expansion by promoting sustainable crops as well as increasing profitability. Introducing the proven international success of Asian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) as well as native American lotus (N. lutea) could offer a formula for increased success of aquaculture in the region. Farm production could be further diversified making fish farm operations in the Black Belt more economically sustainable (Orozco-Obando et al, 2009a). Lotus is grown and cherished as an ornamental in many continents. However, its value is even more important as a very popular vegetable within Asian cultures (Billing and Biles, 2007). It was necessary to review, study and understand the literature of lotus to fully exploit its potential (Orozco-Obando, 2007). As with any product development, it is not wise to waste resources repeating work that has already been done. It our case, the Chinese and other cultures have been fine-tuning this crop for centuries. What can we learn from them? Making Lotus Relevant to Farmers and Consumers The Auburn Lotus Project has focused its research on different aspects, particularly the development of best management practices (BMPs) for the production of lotus in containers. This research has been developed and conducted at Auburn University greenhouses and facilities at Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Research and Extension Centers in Mobile and Cullman, Alabama. BMPs include: soil level (Tian et al., 2009a); fertiliza- tion (Orozco-Obando et al., 2009b), time of planting and disbudding (Tian et al., 2009b), cultivar selection, substrate development, post-harvest handling and storage of propagules (Tian et al., 2008); and out-of-season production of ornamental lotus for spring sales (Creamer, 2008). In addition, lotus have been evalu- ated as a double crop (fish and edible lotus) to be used for the remediation of nutrients and organic compounds (Orozco-Obando et al., 2008). Page 18 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Evaluating the Potential of Lotus (Nelumbo spp.) Cultivation in Southeastern USA PART I: Evolution of Auburn University’s Lotus Project Another ap- proach in the southern US cultivation of this crop is the evaluation of the potential organic production of the crop. A large industry has developed in the US to provide for consumers fresh fruits and vegetables certi- fied free of syn- thetic chemicals. Lotus has been growing well in China and other countries for centuries using composted manures and other natural products in the production process. “Natural” production is potentially a more easily available technology for farmers of the Black Belt and offers a more synergistic, sustainable production alternative. Auburn is addressing the need to provide Organic - BMPs to our farmers by using pelletized chicken manure, fish wastes and vermiculture compost as natural substrates and fertilizers for the production of lotus. This research aims to determine the economical and other potential benefits of this production process, and to determine if traditional vs. organic culture affects the nutritional and edible properties of the roots. Commercial Successes of the Project The ultimate goal of the Lotus Project is not to present research papers at scientific meetings or to bury research information in research dissertations and theses in the bowels of major research libraries. Instead, it seeks to extend and improve the vision we found in Wuhan gardens and restaurants to benefit the American people (AU, 2010). We want to take a region and land that has become a frustration for politicians and despair for area farmers and resurrect once-thriving, successful communities to their glory days through a collaboration of aquaculture and aquaponics. Hopefully, lotus is a model crop for more aquatic vegetables and ornamentals. Emerging entrepre- neurs in Hartford, AL, (Ten Mile Creek Nursery) and Guntersville, AL (Piedmont Aquaculture) are producing and marketing the new/ancient crop. Black Belt farmers are growing edible lotus for initial distribution to Asian markets of the US East Coast along with desired fish products. Upscale restaurants are evaluating consumer reaction to lotus. Ornamental lotus is currently being successfully forced under extended photoperiod to have flowering lotus available for the spring garden buying frenzy as frustrated gardeners rush from winter doldrums to Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 19 Evaluating the Potential of Lotus (Nelumbo spp.) Cultivation in Southeastern USA PART I: Evolution of Auburn University’s Lotus Project get all that is new and beautiful for their yards (Bancroft, 2009). An internet sales site reaches consumers out of range of these limited outlets and distant from Hartford, AL (www.tenmilecreeknursery.com). This marks the first year for selling cut lotus flowers to the wholesale market and also for supplying a surprising demand for desirable lotus ingredients to the cosmetic industry. We know from experience with other treasured garden-world gems that success comes not from guarding and coveting treasures, but by multiplying and sharing them; publicize them and make them available through many outlets. We plan to involve countless people in the development and distribution of lotus to maximize its incredible diverse uses and to look for benefits not yet discovered. References AU. 2010. The Auburn Lotus Research Project. 2009. Depart- ment of Horticulture, Auburn University. Alabama, USA. http://www. ag.auburn.edu/hort/landscape/AU_Lotus_Project_Page.html Bancroft, L. 2009. Ten Mile Creek Nursery and the Auburn Lotus Project Team Up - Can you force lotus to bloom for a spring market? The Great Lotus Experiment (Works). Water Gardening Internation- al 4 (3): 1-5. http://www.watergardenersinternational.org/journal/4-3/tmc/page1.html Billing, K. and P. Biles. 2007. The Lotus: Know It and Grow It. International Waterlily & Water Gar- dening Society. 51 pages. Creamer, J. 2008. AU Lotus research yields new offerings for flower enthusiasts. Auburn University. College of Agriculture. News release. 2 pages. http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/agillustrated/ documents/2008_Spring.pdf Crews, J. and J. Chappell. 2006. U.S. Catfish Industry: situation in 2005 and outlook for 2006. Time - ly information. Agriculture & Natural Resources. Ag. Economic series. Auburn University. Orozco-Obando, W. 2007. The Auburn Lotus Research Project: Literature review. 15 pages http:// www.ag.auburn.edu/hort/landscape/LOTUS_LIT.html Orozco-Obando, W., K. Tilt, D. Tian, J. Sibley, F. Woods, W. Foshee, J. Chappell, D. Cline, and J. Olive. 2007. Herbi- cide Phyto-remediation Potential of Lotus and Use of Roots for Ethanol Production. First international Symposium on Biofuels. CRDF. Kiev, Ukraine. Orozco-Obando, W., K. Tilt, B. Fishman, D. Eckman, B. Dud- derar, J. Olive , J. Sibley, F. Woods, W. Foshee, J. Chappell, D. Cline. 2008a. Phyto-remediation potential of Lotus (Nelumbo spp) to treat polluted waters. 22nd Chinese Lotus Conference. Bei- jing, China. 12 pages. Orozco-Obando, W; K. Tilt; B. Fischman and C.J. McGrath. 2008b. A secret treasure in our backyard: Edible Lotus. The whole world gets it, but the USA. The Water Garden Journal 23 (4): 14 – 18. Orozco-Obando, W., K. Tilt and B. Fishman. 2009a. Is Lotus an ornamental plant or a vegetable? Yes? Water Gardening Interna- Page 20 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Evaluating the Potential of Lotus (Nelumbo spp.) Cultivation in Southeastern USA PART I: Evolution of Auburn University’s Lotus Project Warner Orozco-Obando1, Ken Tilt1, Bernice Fischman1, Floyd Woods1, Wheeler Foshee1, Jeff Sibley1, Fenny Dane1, Raymond Kessler1, John Olive1, Arnold Caylor1, Jesse Chappell2, and David Cline2 Dept. of Horticulture1 and Dept. of Fisheries and Related Aquacultures2. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849 tional Journal. 4 (2): 1- 9. Orozco-Obando, W., K. Tilt and B. Fishman. 2009b. Cultivation of Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera and Ne- lumbo lutea): Advances in soil and fertility management. Water Garden Journal 24 (4): 7 – 14. Tian, D. 2008. Container production and post-harvest handling of lotus (Nelumbo) and Micropropaga- tion of herbaceous peony (Paeonia). Ph. D. Dissertation. Auburn University. Department of Horticulture. 292 pp. Tian, D., K. Tilt, F. Woods, R. Kessler and J. Sibley. 2008. Postharvest longevity and viability of cooler-stored lotus propagules. J. Environ. Hort. 26 (2):101-104. Tian, D.., K. Tilt, J. Sibley, F. Dane and F. Woods. 2009a. Response of Lotus (Nelumbo spp.) to Con- tainer Soil Volume. Journal of Environmental Horticulture Tian, D.., K. Tilt, J. Sibley, F. Woods and F. Dane. 2009b. Response of Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) to planting time and disbudding. HortScience 44(3): 1 – 4. Tilt, K., W. Orozco-Obando, C.J. McGrath and B. Fishman. 2009a. Auburn Lotus Project: Passionate plant people unite with a common vision. Water Gardening International Journal 4 (3): 1- 6.

Photos on pages 15 - 20 by Warner Orozco-Obando Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 21 Unforgettable John “Punkey” Foard III by Tim Davis and Tom Tilley

John Bevans “Punkey” Foard III, was a co-founder of Valley View Farms. He became well known not only for his water garden business but even better known as the man who introduced Christmas decorations to a garden center to extend the retail business. He passed away March 21 of a fatal heart attack at St. Clair Medical Punkey & Hildreth Morton in France Center while vacationing in Port- of-Spain Trinidad and Tobago. He was 75. He was the beloved husband of Kathy. He is survived by his brother William C. (Bill) Foard and sister in law Kay, his sister Punkey dancing with a stuffed pig Suzanne Foard and numerous nieces and nephews. “Punkey” was known and loved by those that he interacted with. He was a larger than life personality to those who knew him. He was a past Board of Director of the IWGS. He was instrumental in the most successful symposium in our history. He championed our cause and filled the IWGS coffers with funds that the organization was sustained with for years. Although he retired from Valley View Farms in 2005, he stayed active in gardening. His latest passion was in finding hot peppers to enjoy and share with customers and friends in the Baltimore area. Custom shark suit in Colorado Tom Tilley a Past President himself, shared this with me about the kind of person “Punkey” was. “I have a picture of Punkey in his pig suit. With that picture and a cap- tion that says ONE OF A KIND!! You capture his essence. I have five photos in my office- 3 are of my daughter, one is of Captain Mo holding two Vic flowers in Brazil, and the other is of my daughter, my wife, myself, Punkey, and Don & Shirley Bryne. That’s the kind of guy he was - unforgettable!! He will be missed.”

Custom pig suit

Colorado Symposium Photos by Rowena Burns and Tom Tilley Punkey & Mike Swize Page 22 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Lotus of India by Grant Mitchell The lotus (Nelumbo) of India are as varied as the many cultures which make up this diverse country. The lotus is the national flower of India. In Hindi, lotus flowers are called kanwel kahful (or kahpul ful/ phul = flower). They are found from the mystical Himalayan Mountains of Kashmir in the far north all the way down to the brutally hot and humid tropical southern tip of the sub-continent. In the northern and central areas of the country they are mostly single-petalled temperate varieties in a range of pink through to white whilst the varieties around the southern part and within a few hundred kilometres (1 km = .62 mi) of the coast are usually double or semi-double tropical varieties with a greater range of colours. The excep- tional characteristic of a couple of these tropical varieties is that they have bright orange stamens and pollen which will cause a sensation amongst hybridizers! Lotus are inculcated into Indian life largely as a religious icon and also in art and traditional Ayuvedic medicine and less so as a food. They are an integral part of Hinduism and Buddhism where they represent the ability to rise from the filth and mire of everyday life and to emerge cleansed and enlightened. They are also a symbol of rebirth. Because of this, lotus are ingrained in the social fabric of the country. There are numerous areas of wild lotus growing throughout India. However, many of these of these are in a perilous predicament due to farming, pollution, industrialization, drought, and sometimes even floods. Often these varieties exist in very small ponds in the countryside and will soon disappear if not preserved. Lotus are also grown around many temples, but this doesn’t always save them from the ravages of nature and humanity. A Lotus Research Station in Lucknow in northern India boasted of having 37 indig- enous varieties, but in fact they only have about eight left alive at the most and don’t Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 23 Lotus of India by Grant Mitchell actually carry out any lotus research. They estimate that there are probably about one hundred native varieties. One variety near Samaspur grows in a lake whose water reputedly measures ph 9.5. India does have lotus and waterlily growing enthusiasts, but there doesn’t seem to be many; no organisation exists for hobby growers. To most Indians there are only two different lotus colours, pink and white. However, a vast range exists within the pink varieties. This range extends from white with various amounts and shades of pink on the tips and/or petal margins (usually in singles) through to various light pinks, mid pinks and on into dark pinks/reds. In addition to wild lotus, growers cultivate large areas of lotus for their flowers and seeds. The flowers are used as offerings at temples while the seeds, a lot of which are grown on the eastern side of the country, are used as a medicine. The flowers and seeds are often transported over long distances. While the seeds are almost indestructible, the flowers often end up in the market in a battered and debilitated state, some even being sprayed with some nasty chemical in an unsuccessful attempt to preserve them. Lotus in India are usually grown in fairly deep water of over one meter (39 inches) that may account for a lack many upright leaves. Seedlings grown in Australia from last year’s seed seem to have very thin petioles and the leaves flop around over the edges of the pots and blow around in the wind.The Indian lotus plants and flowers are generally smaller than lotus from other countries.Their stems have numerous small needles as most other lotus do, but in general, they are small and black and not sharp just a bit like sparse fine beard stubble. The most spectacular difference from lotus any- where else is the several varieties that have bright orange pollen! The main orange pollen varieties are all double varieties and more than likely tropical lotus. There is a white with green variety, a dark Page 24 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Lotus of India by Grant Mitchell pink/red variety, and several different pinks that exhibit this incredible variation. In Thailand there is uncertainty about the origins of their two spectacular double varieties, the white Sattabhut and the double-red Sattabhunkot. It is rumoured that these varieties originally came from India. Given that Buddhism flowed out of India and down into Thailand, this is not an unreasonable pos- sibility. While there are similarities (from limited observation), the difference is also glaringly obvi- ous; perhaps they or one of them came as seed and these new varieties arose from those seeds. Further DNA research in progress may reveal if there is a close relationship. Whatever their size and growth habits may be, the Indian lotus, whether pink or white, are truly spectacular, and they invoke salivation and kindle the fires of desire.

Photos on pages 22 - 24 by Grant Mitchell Look What WOW! Is New In This Issue Place your advertisement here. See who is watching you. Contact the Who can you gain Executive as a potential new Director of customer? All the the IWGS for eyes are upon you details on now. How will you placing an reach them? ad. Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 25 Page 26 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 27

http://www.pondtrademag.com/ Page 28 The Water Garden Journal Vol. 25, No. 2 Vol. 25, No. 2 The Water Garden Journal Page 29 THE WATER GARDEN JOURNAL Volume 25 Number 2

EDITOR TIM DAVIS EDITORIAL BOARD JAMES ALLISON LARRY NAU JIM PURCELL CHARLES B. THOMAS JENNIFER ZURI DISTRIBUTION LARRY NAU IWGS WEBMASTER TIM DAVIS Front cover Ultimate 1000 Petal Lotus The Official Publication of the © IWGS & Daike Tian INTERNATIONAL WATERLILY AND WATER GARDENING SOCIETY Back cover photos and all inside uncredited photos OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY © Zac DeGarmeaux PRESIDENT JIM PURCELL VICE PRESIDENT TOM TILLEY Mission Statement—The International Waterlily & VICE PRESIDENT TISH FOLSOM Water Gardening Society (IWGS) is a non-profit organi- TREASURER ROWENA BURNS zation of multinational membership dedicated to the SECRETARY ROBERT BURNS furtherance of all aspects of water gardens and their EXEC. DIRECTOR LARRY NAU associated plants. As an organization we support and promote education, research, and conservation in these BOARD OF DIRECTORS areas. Jim Purcell, Tom Tilley, Robert Burns, Rowena Burns Tish Folsom, Steve Stroupe, Mike Swize, Tim Davis, Soni Volume 25, Number 2 The IWGS Water Garden Forsman, Kip Northrup, Warner Orozco-Obando, Journal (ISSN 1069-5982) is published quarterly by The Jennifer Zuri and Charles B. Thomas (honorary life term) International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society (The Society), 7443 Buffalo Road,Churchville, NY. 14428, www.iwgs.org USA. Phone 585-293-9144, Fax: 585-293-3886, Email [email protected]. All rights reserved. © 2009. The Water Registrars Garden Journal is indexed in EBSCO’s Garden, Land- Nymphaea Registration scape & Horticulture Literature Index. Jim Purcell – [email protected] Verena Liechti – [email protected] Postage paid at Churchville NY, USA and additional Nelumbo Registration mailing offices. Basic subscription/ membership rate for Ken Tilt – [email protected] one full year is $30 for the online Journal. Hard copy can Warner Orozco-Obando – [email protected] be mailed for an additional $25 per year. Further details and back issues are available from the administrative ADMINISTRATIVE ADDRESS and office in NY. All changes of address and incidents of SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES non-arrival of Journals should be notified to the office International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society in NY. Opinions expressed by authors and any products 7443 Buffalo Road reviewed are not specifically endorsed by The Society, Churchville, NY. 14428 USA nor does The Society accept any liability arising from the 585-293-9144 contents of this Journal. Fax: 585-293-3886 [email protected]

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Warner Orozco-Obando at Auburn

Laura Bancroft Ten Mile Creek Nursery Bill Bancroft The Lotus Issue Continues In The Next Journal