2021 New Waterlily Competition Winners

2021 IWGS New Waterlily Competition

This year 26 hybridizers from 9 different countries entered their best new waterlilies into the 2021 IWGS New Waterlily Competition (NWC,) making it the largest competition to date.

This was the third year the competition was held at Naples Botanical Gardens (NBG) where the plants were grown by Aquatics Areas Manager, Kathy Cahill.

We received entries in each of the following 5 categories: Hardy, Tropical Day-Bloomer, Tropical Night-Bloomer, Hardy Intersubgeneric and Tropical Intersubgeneric.

The entries were evaluated by an international panel of judges on the quality of the flowers and foliage as well as the general impression and uniqueness of the plant. These evaluations were made based on grower Kathy Cahill’s notes and photos over the ten-week observation period at the NBG. Among the judges were professional waterlily growers from botanic gardens and plant nurseries, as well as hybridizers and experienced hobbyists.

2021 Judges, in alphabetical order:

  • Andre Leu (Regeneration International, Australia)
  • Chris Song (South Korea)
  • CuiWei Yu (Zhejiang Humanities Landscape Co Ltd, China)
  • Dario Javier Baumgratz (Aeranthos Nursery, Argentina)
  • Dave Brigante (Hughes Water Gardens, USA)
  • Farley See (Moore Water Gardens, Canada)
  • Iain MacGregor (Water Garden Life, Australia)
  • James Allison (Aquapic, UK)
  • James Bennett (Bennett’s Water Gardens, UK)
  • Jon Sander (Glenstone Museum, USA)
  • Longqing Chen (Lotus Branch of China Flower Association, China)
  • Marc Hachadourian (New York Botanic Garden, USA)
  • Rolf Nelson (Nelson Water Gardens, USA)
  • Stevens Bernard (Les Jardin d’Eau de Carzac, France)
  • Tim Jennings (Longwood Gardens, USA)
  • Tomas Escribano (Spain)
  • Vicki Mills Aber (Colorado Water Gardening Society, USA)


THE WINNERS

Here are the winners of the 2021 IWGS New Waterlily Competition:


2021 IWGS Best Overall New Waterlily

Best Overall waterlily 2021
Photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

Nymphaea ‘Purple Zebra’

By Pornchai Sukkasemsamranjit (Thailand)


2021 IWGS Best New Hardy Waterlily

Nymphaea Painted Pom Pom 1st place hardy
Photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

1st Place

Nymphaea ‘Painted Pom Pom’

Tony Moore (USA)

Gabriel's Delight 2nd place hardy
Photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

2nd Place

Nymphaea ‘Gabriel’s Delight’

by Timo Gabriel (Germany)

3rd hardy H3 Sweet Angel
Photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

3rd Place

Nymphaea ‘Sweet Angel’

by Potjanee Thongbai (Thailand)


2021 IWGS Best New Tropical Day Blooming Waterlily

Nymphaea 'Foi Thong' 1st place Tropical Day bloomer
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

1st Place 

Nymphaea ‘‘Foi Thong’

by Korakott Pumpetch (Thailand)

2nd place Tropical Day Bloomer Purple Passion
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

2nd Place 

Nymphaea ‘Purple Passion’

by Florida Aquatic Nurseries (USA)

3rd place Tropical Daybloomer Nymphaea Sasimontron
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

3rd Place

Nymphaea ‘Sasimontron’

by Arun Kobkaew (Thailand)

 


2021 IWGS Best New Tropical Night Blooming Waterlily

1st place Tropical Night Bloomer Nymphaea Tubtimchon
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

1st Place 

Nymphaea ‘Tubtimchon’

by Rajamangala Institute (Thailand)

2nd place Tropical Night Bloomer Nymphaea Aonubon
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden))

2nd Place

Nymphaea ‘Aonubon’

Pang U Bon Waterlily Garden (Thailand)

3rd place Tropical Nightbloomer Nymphaea Bancharak
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

3rd Place

Nymphaea ‘Bancharak’

by Bancha Futrakun (Thailand)


2021 IWGS Best New Hardy Intersubgeneric (ISG) Waterlily

overall and 1st place HISG Nymphaea Purple Zebra
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

1st Place

Nymphaea ‘Purple Zebra’

by Pornchai Sukkasemsamranjit (Thailand)

2nd place HISG Siam Magnolia
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

2nd Place

Nymphaea ‘Siam Magnolia’

by Pairat Songpanich (Thailand)

3rd place HISG Dark Valia
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

3rd Place

Nymphaea ‘Dark Valia’

by Andreas Protopapas (Cyprus)


2021 Best New Tropical Intersubgeneric (ISG) Waterlily

Nymphaea 'Ravissada' 1st place TISG
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

1st Place

Nymphaea ‘Ravissada’

by Kanyaporn Inngam (Thailand)

2nd place TISG6 Pimpapaan
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

2nd Place

Nymphaea ‘Pimpapaan’

by Nopchai Chansilpa (Thailand)

3rd place TISG Sunny Doll
photo credit: Kathy Cahill (Naples Botanical Garden)

3rd Place

Nymphaea ‘Sunny Doll’

by Neng Xiang You (Taiwan)

 


We would like to thank all the hybridizers for offering their creations for evaluation and offer our gratitude to the judges who volunteered their time to examine these hybrids and made many tough decisions. Our thanks also goes out to those who made donations to the IWGS in support of the Competition. Not least of all, we wish to extend our gratitude to Naples Botanical Garden for generously providing growing space and especially heartfelt thanks to Kathy Cahill and Danny Cox for all their hard work in hosting this year’s competition.