Lotus Plant
Profile
Lotus (Nelumbo
spp.) is an aquatic plant that is native to Asia, Australia, and the Americas.
It is hardy to USDA zones 5 to 10.
The Lotus plant is known for its large, tropical-looking
leaves and beautiful, layered flowers. Its various parts are edible and it is a
sacred symbol of purity and rebirth in Eastern cultures.
It needs to be placed in full sun to bloom and appreciates
an occasional fertilizer tab placed in the soil by its roots.
When planting a bare-root lotus rhizome, fill a pot with clay
soil, place the rhizome in, and make sure the growing tips are slightly above
the soil line. Submerge the pot about
12-18 inches below the surface of the water.
Lotus plants are generally large and can quickly spread to
take over a small water garden, so it is best to give them their own separate
space to grow in. They can be planted in old bathtubs, stock tanks, or animal
troughs. You can also purchase miniature lotus varieties that grow in small
tabletop bowls or other decorative, water-tight containers.
The lotus flower opens in the morning and closes by
mid-afternoon. Each flower typically blooms for two to three days. After the
petals drop, a beautiful green seedpod is revealed which then dries on the
stalk and can be collected to propagate additional plants or for craft use.
In our Mid-Atlantic region, lotus can be safely wintered
outdoors, but the rhizome should never be left out to freeze entirely or it
will die, so for colder regions you will need to give it extra protection or
bring it indoors.
Lotus:
You Can Grow That!
The
video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant
Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners.
Video and editing by Taylor Edwards
Audio and text by Kathy Jentz
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