Nelumbo nucifera (Sacred Lotus)

Nelumbo nucifera, commonly known as sacred lotus or Indian lotus, is an aquatic perennial in the Nelumbonaceae family, native to a broad region of Asia and northern Australia. It grows from thick rhizomes anchored in pond mud and produces large, rounded blue-green leaves held well above the water on long stalks. Spectacular fragrant flowers, usually pink or white, rise above the foliage and are followed by distinctive flat-topped seed pods containing large edible seeds. Numerous ornamental cultivars range from compact forms to vigorous plants and include single, double, and many-petaled flowers in white and shades of pink.

Sacred lotus thrives in full sun and warm, still or slowly moving water, with its rhizomes planted in rich heavy soil beneath the water surface. Plants spread vigorously when conditions are favorable and are best grown in ponds or large watertight containers. Both rhizomes and seeds are important foods in Asian cuisines. The plant becomes dormant in cool weather; its rhizomes can survive winter where they remain protected from prolonged freezing, generally making it suitable for USDA Zones 4-10 with appropriate planting depth and winter protection.

Growing lotus from seed: Lotus seeds have a very hard, water-resistant seed coat and normally require scarification before germination. See the illustrated stages: beginning scarification, breaking through the seed coat, properly scarified seed, seed scarified too deeply, the seed interior, and germinating seeds.