Pairat Songpanich CD

Pairat Songpanich was a keynote speaker at last year’s symposium in Chicago. As he is not fluent in English, he prepared a presentation on his work to date on the hybridization of hardy waterlilies and specifically his eforts that he documented in the process of achieving the blue hardy, Nymphaea ‘Siam Blue Hardy’. It was an hour-long slide show with music and photos of many of his wonderful hybrids. It documented much of his detailed work in hybridization and revealed the parentage of most of his hybrids. The major bit of news that was revealed is that he gave the name of the maternal (pod) parent for his blue hardy. So far that plant has resisted all efforts to get it to reproduce through division. He told of repeating the same cross and of some more successful intersubgeneric crosses. For anyone who is interested in hybridization, this is important information. For those who are interested in only pretty plants, this CD has plenty of Pairat’s great photos. In an effort to help the Society as well as to educate and entertain our members, Pairat generously donated the CD containing the presentation to us to re-produce and sell. Those who saw this at the symposium in Chicago can attest to the great opportunity this presents. Larry Nau, the Executive Director, told me of a certain individual with a great hybridizing background feverishly scribbling down notes during the presentation. A garden club or group could purchase this fascinating CD and present it at a meeting. You are essentially presenting a lecture from a worldwide waterlily celebrity to your group without the expense of flying Pairat in. The images in the previous article from Pairat are all taken from the presentation. No special software is needed to play the CD. Anyone with a computer and speakers can use it.

For those who attended the symposium and have already seen this in Chicago, we are offering a copy of this for $10.00.

To any other persons or groups that wish to educate and entertain, you may purchase a copy for $25.00. All the proceeds go back into aiding the Society so that we may continue to offer the best speakers available.

To purchase this incredible CD, email the Society at for detailed information on purchasing it.