Pam Howden

Pam Howden ranks fourth on the ADS Fab 50 for 2025 with 186 ribbons, the benchmark waterlily on the North American show circuit. For a form judged on grace and symmetry rather than size, that consistency is the whole game: exhibitors grow it because it reliably produces the clean saucer-shaped bloom judges want. The ADS country code points to Australian breeding, and a mid-1990s introduction circulates, but we could not confirm either, so both stay flagged. Even outside the show world it is a lovely garden flower, which is why it crosses over.

Pam Howden is the waterlily other waterlilies are measured against. The form is shallow and elegant, a closed domed center breaking to a few rows of broad, slightly cupped petals, like the flower it is named for. The golden-peach color is a soft light blend that suits both arrangements and the show table. At four to six inches it is a usable cut. Standard care, pinch and stake. It tops the waterlily class on the ADS Fab 50, so if you want to learn what a textbook waterlily looks like, grow this one. Hybridizer and year stay open in our sources.