|
Xi'an Botanical Garden Xi'an, China |
|
|
 Nelumbo 'Qiu Cui' |
I am Li Shu-juan and I work at Xi'an Botanical Garden, China, where the Emperor Qin's terra-cotta warriors are located. In 1986, I graduated from the Meteorological School of Shaanxi Province of China. The same year, I got a job at Xi'an Botanical Garden in phenological observation. I have been doing this job for 21 years. During the period, I studied botany and subjects interrelated with botany on my own. I also studied gardening at Northwest A&F University. In 1999, by accident, I joined in researching aquatic plants. Very soon I was attracted completely because aquatic plants are so different from land plants. We mainly study Nelumbonaceae and Nymphaeaceae. We have collected about 300 species and varieties; they include about 260 varieties of Nelumbo, about 40 species and varieties of Nymphaea, Victoria cruziana, Euryale ferox and Nuphar sinensis. |
|
 Nymphaea 'Rose Arey' |
||
 |
In 1999, we made a cross-breeding of < Nymphaea lotus var. pubescens (taxonomic status uncertain) and Nymphaea lotus > by the usual crossing method, and now we have selected four new varieties from those F1 plants. |
 |
|
In 2003, Victoria cruziana was bred successfully and produced seeds at our garden in the northern part of China. The pads' maximum diameter was 189 cm (74.5") and could bear 79 kg (174 #) of weight (see The Weight-bearing Capability of Victoria). The fact was reported by most news media in China. Through our efforts, Victoria, a tropical plant, has become widely known in our warm-temperate zone, and we and our garden are known by more people in China. In 2004, I joined the Lotus Branch of China Flowers and Plants Association and, in 2005, I was elected a member of the council of the Lotus Branch. |
 |
|