In 2004 I walked into the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo, Hilo, Hawaii, the first time. I saw this large waterlily in the pond near the front entrance. Its huge leaves reached 3 feet (91 centimeters) in diameter and the blooms were as large as 6 inches (15 centimeters) across. Its leaf rims rose out of water several inches in height. Without a doubt, I told myself, it must be the queen of the waterlily world. I learned later that it originated in Amazonia in Brazil. It took English horticulturists many years to cultivate it and for it to produce its first flower. The grower named it after Queen Victoria.

After I joined the Big Island Garden Club, I learned that in 2002 the manager of Hilo Botanic Garden, Sean Callahan, germinated a Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid’ seed. He took the young plant to Hilo Zoo Pond. The Big Island Water Garden Club was doing the pond maintenance. The center of attention was of course the Victoria. It was five times bigger than all other waterlilies. Its dark green pads covered a large area of the pond. Its large flowers came out silky white in color the first day and would change into rosy pink the second day. In 2006 Roger Pflum and I volunteered to do the routine pond maintenance. We got in the 4 foot (1.2 meter) deep water with our fishing waders. We cleaned and fertilized the giant waterlily monthly.

Soon we found out two things. First, it was rather dangerous to get near the Victoria. Its one-inch long sharp spines covered the plant stems and undersides of the pads. Working near the plant for a few minutes, our waterproof suits were no longer waterproof. The spines would puncture through our skin without any problem. Maybe that is the way the plants protect themselves from piranhas in Amazonia. The second thing we found was that the Victoria is supposed to be an annual plant. In other words, it dies in wintertime. Our Victoria was four years old and still alive. “Wow,” Roger and I said to each other. “We have something special here.” We gave the plant the name “Old Faithful.” We transplanted the Victoria to a 20-gallon pot and added more fertilizer. Its pads reached 46 inches (117 centimeters) in size. Its flowers reached 8 inches (20 centimeters) in size.

2007 was a cold winter. I took the plant home and kept it alive through the winter in my warm-water pond. 2008 was a great year. Old Faithful gave us more flowers than ever. More and more people traveled many miles just to see it.