Waterlily Seed Sharing Bank

Welcome to the Waterlily (Nymphaea) Seed Sharing Project! We are a group of friends who have joined together to share the "fruits" of our mutual passion for waterlilies with anyone interested in growing them from seed. We are not sponsored by or endorsed by any organization.

All seeds are free of charge. Though we will make every effort to provide viable seeds, we make no promises of viability. We ask that recipients agree not to resell the seeds. This restriction does not apply to resulting plants except in the case of certain species seeds, where the MTA (see below) has its own restrictions. Please follow the instructions below to receive seeds.

We offer the following categories of seeds:

Mixed colored hybrids of unknown parentage:

Tropical day blooming (TD)
Tropical day blooming (Australian of subgenus Anecphya) (TDA)
Tropical night blooming (TN)
Hardy (H)

We must stress that plants resulting from these seeds are unknown! Please don't try to identify them as known cultivars even if they resemble them. Hybrids crossed with themselves, other hybrids or even species will not recreate the original hybrid. Offspring will be highly variable. For more about this see Should I Grow From Seed or Rhizome? or The Truth About Plants Grown From Both

Seeds of tropical day blooming Anecphya can be quite difficult to grow so we only recommend them for experienced growers with very warm conditions.

It's entirely possible that seeds shared will produce some wonderful new cultivars, worthy of having their own names. For guidance in naming, consult "How To Name A New Cultivar" and check through our Cultivar Image Galleries to be sure your cultivar is unique.

Species:

Species of horticultural interest, named but of unknown provenance (SU)

Species with provenance - Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) required from all recipients prior to shipment (See an example MTA) (SK)

Species of Nymphaea are of somewhat specialized interest. They are usually not as showy as hybrids and can be more difficult to grow due to specialized requirements. We do not suggest them for most growers.

To make your request, download and complete the Seed Request Form. Within the US, enclose the form, a small self-addressed envelope with postage equal to the amount required to send it and a properly executed Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) if required. Please do not send cash, checks or metered postage.

Outside the US, enclose the form(s), a small self-addressed padded envelope, a money order in US$ for return postage and any expenses of meeting the requirements of your country (i.e. Phyto-Sanitary Certificate). It is the responsibility of the recipient to provide us with your country's Customs and Agricultural requirements. Enclose a properly executed Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) if required.

Mail to:

Billy Bates
905 Martintown Road
New Albany MS 38652

Requests with incomplete information or inadequate postage will be discarded.

Donors please send seeds to the above address with category, other pertinent information and your recommendation for storage (wet or dry and best temperature). This program is totally dependent on donations of seeds from waterlily growers everywhere so please bag your pods and join this effort.

We will appreciate receiving feedback about your success with these seeds. Questions and results should be addressed to Billy Bates at seedbanker@aol.com