Nelumbo nucifera
Wild Indian Lotus

This perennial aquatic plant is best known as Lotus and produces very large leaves that float on water surfaces. Stunning pink blooms grow atop thick stems above the leaves. Flowers last about 3 days, opening in the morning and closing at night. Dried flower pods resemble watering cans and are used in decorative arrangements. Winter hardy to zone 4 otherwise protect from severe cold.

For water gardens or small ponds, plant roots in large containers or planting baskets with up to 24” of water covering the crowns. Container grown plants are easier to maintain making it easy to move if necessary. For larger ponds, roots may be anchored directly in the soft, muddy bottom where, once established, they will spread and colonize. In fall, containers submerged in very shallow water that is less than 6” should be moved into deeper water or brought indoors to a basement, root cellar, greenhouse or other frost-free area for overwintering.

Fun Facts:
1. The oldest recorded lotus germination was from seeds that were 1,300 years old recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China
2. Native to tropical Asia and Australia
3. This is the National flower of India and Egypt
4. Nelumbo, or lotus, is different than water lilies (nymphaea)
5. An individual plan can live for thousands of years
Sowing instructions:

· Start indoors 
· Sow seed on top of standard potting mix mixed with a little sand 
· Cover lightly with soil and plunge the pot into shallow water in a container or bucket / or directly into the water feature in spring
· keep warm and sunny
· Germination should result by 4-5 weeks and maybe a little longer depending on the conditions you have provided
· Seedlings look like fine grass at first 
· Once the first 2 or 3 floating leaves develop individual plants ca be pulled out and planted into individual containers and placed back in water at desired location
· After germination occurs keep warm and humid if in dry conditions