This water garden sweetheart flourish in dissimilar landscape preferences — here ’s what you need to know .
aboriginal to Asia and Australia , the lotus is considered hallowed by the Buddhist and Hindu religions . piddle gardeners prize it because it ’s both beautiful and easy to grow . Lotus stalks start in quaggy soil and water , and terminate in sweetly fragrant white - to - pink flowers that can grow as big as 12 inch across . Some lotus variety call for a monolithic amount of pee control surface to mature , while others do just fine insmall H2O garden , so make certain you set the correct one for your landscape needs .
It ’s important to keep in mind that , while striking and beautiful , this plant can quickly become an invasive yobbo when planted in pool bottoms or let to grow into capable waters .
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Where to Plant Lotus
Lotus grows best in full sun , needing at least 6 to 8 hour of daily lighter and warm water temperatures ( between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit ) . This is very significant , as white lily plants are considered an aquatic lineament , so , without strong water and a constant cheery temperature during summer — above 75 degrees for at least 3 calendar month — you may disrupt increment and bloom geological formation . Also mention that the blossom are unawares - exist , appear for only a few days followed by large ornamental seed pods .
count on the type of lotus , you may be able to implant in your own backyard — if you have a manmade or lifelike pond , if there ’s a lake within your property , or even stand bowls or water gardens on your terrace . To create an ethereal landscape painting in the water system , you could establish lotus alongsideother aquatic flora such as dwarf water lilies , H2O chestnut tree , aquatic grasses , or duckweed . body of water liliesand lotus can indeed be plant together . However , it will call for to be in a larger body of pee — such as a natural lake or pond — to grow and fly high in good order due to its size .
How and When to Plant Lotus
Lotus can be found — either in large body of water or pot outdoors — around mid - June if you live on in colder climates and April if you ’re located in warmer zones . As a general regulation , you ’re looking to maturate white lotus between May and former June where temperatures start to rise consistently , the solar day go between 75 and 80 degrees , and nights do n’t go lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit .
For modest ponds orwater gardens , plant the lotus tuber ( aka stem ) in alarge rotund containerwithout drain maw . Choose a container size to suit the size of the plant life . While still on land , fill the locoweed midway with heavy garden soil . Spread a 2- to 3 - inch - cryptical layer of coarse sand over the dirt open . Next , arrange a lotus tuber crosswise on top of the sand with growing points stick straight up . Embed the genus Tuber into the grit and consider it down with stones to keep it from blow . make full the container with water until it reaches just above the growing tips and await .
Once the white lotus breaks dormancy and starts fool away out foliage , let down the pot into the pool . Place brick underneath , if needed , to raise it to the good level : 6 to 12 inches below the weewee surface when sitting on top of the pond ’s muddy bottom . Eventually , the tuber will send beginning into the stain , and staunch will come forth .
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Lotus Care Tips
Although grand in beauty — and eventually in size — a lotus plant is relatively leisurely to grow and take aid of when you focalize on the rudiments : plenty of full sun ; clean , warm water ; and seasonal upkeep . Lotus flowers are , perhaps , one of the most awaited gift from the industrial plant , only lasting from 3 to 5 days from midsummer to early fall .
Light
Lotus plants involve at least 6 hours of direct sun , day by day , to grow and eventually blossom . It ’s the kind of industrial plant that fly high well during the summer month due to the high temperatures , however , it does tolerate some shade and can as bloom if the conditions is right ( and the water temperature is warm enough as well ) .
Soil and Water
As an aquatic plant , lotus ask sealed pee consideration to prosper : ideally , clean and warmed toat least72 degrees Fahrenheit ; far from fountains or water catamenia to not vex its growth ; and deep enough for the dirt to keep the desired water grade — rather at 4 inches above . If you ’re using a pot or bowl ( either to plant it as is or to be repot later ) , go for a large aquatic bowl with no holes , at least 12 inches mystifying . Lotus prefers a wet environs , so try water every 9 days ( tap water is ok ) , and never submerge the leaves in the pee if you see them on the airfoil . If potted , you may want to water your lotus every so often if the water level has dropped ( up until the top of the bowl ) .
Although lotus will grow in muddy soil , it can apace molder if it ’s organically too rich or too light — you’d want a grease that wo n’t swim to the top and have a mix of sand and heavy clay - base ( or else , you may fuse it with loam surface soil , loamy ground mixed aged manure ; or even river George Sand ) . Do n’t usepotting mix , especially if you ’re trying to grow your lotus from seeds or tuber . The key here is to fulfill up your bowling ball or spate with soil until it ’s about 4 in deep , and then cover it with water .
Temperature and Humidity
Lotus must keep a warm surround , particularly during its first year and first blooming season . For potted sacred lotus , the pee temperature need to be between 73 and 90 point Fahrenheit systematically for at least three months in the summertime . Many people apply a fish tank heater to keep the temperature warm enough to assist the lotus grow and bloom if the conditions or climate condition are n’t idealistic .
Lotus plants can safely winter in a pool as long as the tubers are plant below the freeze business line — in other word , they wo n’t freeze square when temperature drop . In colder climate ( where the temperature shed below 0 degree Fahrenheit for extended point ) or when the water in the pond is less than six column inch recondite , move the container to a deeper part of the pond where the tubers will be protected from freezing . Or take the container to a nerveless , sullen space ( below 50 degrees Fahrenheit ) that wo n’t freeze — such as a cellar or ascendant cellar . Keep the soil in the container slimly moist so the genus Tuber do n’t dry out out . Place the tubers outside again in the spring only after the last hard freezing has taken berth .
As the atmospheric condition and water warm in former saltation , the plants will promote up new leaves . If the containers were moved to deeper areas of the pond for winter , raise them to their summer grow place as presently as possible in spring . If the containers were overwintered inside , lay them back in the pee .
Fertilizer
Overfertilization — or fertilizing too ahead of time — can be counterproductive for your lotus plant . To have sex when it ’s a good time , wait until several leaves are already floating on the Earth’s surface of the water(which mean the tuber have sprouted and the ethereal leaves are already start to develop , so the flora is “ mature ” enough to take on some plant food more or less every 20 days ) . To do so , you’re able to go for fast or slow - handout feed tab that you’re able to push under the dirt — this do thing easier if the Nelumbo nucifera is planted in a pond , for example , though it also works for potted lotus . Simply follow the manufacturer ’s instructions for specific proportion . Spring is the good timeframe to start fertilize . Cut down the amount by mid - July and stop in all by mid - August , so the lotus can have clip to occupy all the nutrient before the temperature drop .
Pruning
Lotus will benefit from periodical pruning so it can maintain its health and sweetheart . Do so in the twilight or winter ( or , at the very least , once the plant life has finished blooming ) . Make clean cuts usingsharp pruning shearsto remove yellow leaves , droop flowers , dead or dry stems , or any damaged moment . attempt to curve at an slant and always above the water grade ( when pruning , never touching or deal with the roots , ground , or anything that ’s below the water surface ) . Once you have done so , you may encourage emergence by simply watering on a regular basis and , if pot , by keep an on-going fond circumstance for your lotus .
Potting and Repotting Lotus
bound is the best clock time to repot Nymphaea lotus , which should be done every few age as before long as leafage spikes emerge in spring . Working carefully so as not to damage growing point , absent the tubers from the grunge . Discard the filth and any beat genus Tuber . Replant with fresh ground and deluge the pot again .
As a world-wide rule , repot it in a heavy , rich bowlful ( say , if you started with a 12x24 pot , double it ) , with no holes in the base , and go for organically down , heavily - based clay , and/or aquatic - focused ground . Once you have created the right soil consideration ( between 3 and 9 inches deep ) and covered it with water ( 4 to 8 inches above the soil ) , do not drown the standing lotus leaves .
Pest and Problems
Lotus plant are no less susceptible to pests and diseases than any other non - aquatic plants . Lotus may be attacked byspider jot , snails , slugs , fungus gnat , leafhoppers , exfoliation dirt ball , andJapanese beetles . To treat them , start by removing debris , and snip off off any idle or yellowy leave of absence . Hand - pick and move away slugs , escargot , and Japanese beetles , and spray around a mixture of water and a drop of dishwashing liquid ecstasy ; alternatively , use a commercial-grade fungicidal solution if mold or gnats are present .
Some people keep Pisces in pond as a way to “ clean ” the urine and forbid pests . Guppies may be an choice as they spawn fast ( so you ’d only postulate a handful to start with ) and deplete alga , mosquito larvae , and other worms . However , they prefer tropic , warm climates , ideally where temperatures do n’t drop below 67 degrees Fahrenheit . If you live in cold-blooded zone , it ’s unspoiled to take the rainbow fish at heart . Koi and goldfish are also a beneficial choice , but they require excess effort and while they can make it wintertime , the pool needs to be deep enough ( at least 3 to 5 feet ) so it does n’t freeze out at the bottom . Whatever you do , keep in judgment fish are additional maintenance to your lotus plant pond , so check that they have the best living conditions .
How to Propagate Lotus
Propagate lotus works through theme air division . In the leap , when shoots start to form above the soil of the plant , get the picture up the rhizome and , using a piercing , clear knife , trim the rhizome into part , each with a growing shoot . swallow up each part into a newfangled pot filled with invigorated soil and resubmerge into water .
If you want to naturalise lotus plants in a big pond , cast anchor the tuber straightaway in the mucky bottom near the boundary of the pool where they can easily disseminate . Keep in intellect that lotus tubers multiply with gusto when engraft directly in the clay of a instinctive pond . In a few short geezerhood , the plants may blanket the urine surface or profoundly root along the pond bottom , resulting in an unhealthy environment for any aquatic life . To bring off and minimize undesirable propagation , keep on top of the seasonal pruning and trimming .
Types of Lotus
‘Baby Doll’ lotus
Nelumbo’Baby Doll ' offers white blooms on a midget plant life sized just right for container water gardens . zone 3 - 10
‘Double Rose’ lotus
This gorgeous variety unfurls fully double , plentiful rose prime . The plant mature 6 feet tall and wide . Zones 4 - 11
‘Momo Botan’ lotus
Nelumbo’Momo Botan ' bears huge Battle of Magenta flowers that remain open for days and appear in summer and pin . It grow 4 foot tall and 5 feet all-inclusive . Zones 4 - 11
‘Mrs. Perry D. Slocum’ lotus
This variety offers attractive blooms that start out pink with a touch of yellowness and change to yellow with a pinkish blush . The plants grow 5 foundation tall and 6 feet wide . zone 4 - 11
Sacred lotus
genus Nelumbo nuciferafeatures across-the-board lily-white flower petal tipped in blush wine pink that radiate around a central crown of golden seedpod fringed in amber stamens . The industrial plant grows 5 foot wide . Zones 4 - 10
Lotus Companion Plants
Lotus may be the star of its own pool or trough , but several companion plant life can originate alongside it without upset its leaves or peak . Always look for aquatic borderline plants that will grow around the pond ’s edge , preferably pot in their bowl ( even if you choose them for a turgid trunk of water , like a lake ) .
Water Clover
A fast - growing aquatic fern , piddle clover — visually similar to a lucky four - leaf trefoil — is useful whenenhancing a lotus plant pond , as it creates wetland groundcovers for fish as well as helpsreduce undesirable algae . Its disconsolate and unripe colors will also put up variety and texture to any pond , and though it prefers ardent climates — from 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit — it does tolerate tincture and humidity really well . well for zones 8 to 11 .
Dwarf Papyrus
This aquatic recurrent proffer texture and unique shape to any pee garden . It will complement the lotus plant give its rounded downlike top with xanthous floret . It grows up to 18 inches and can be invasive in warm climates . It ’s recommended to pot your dwarf papyrus before placing it along the edges of your pond or lake . Dwarf Egyptian paper reed thrives in full or partial sun . Move it to overwinter indoors if you hold up above zona 8 . easily for zones 8 to 12 .
Watercress
Watercress is study a semi - aquatic plant life as it can grow either in soil ( where dusty , clear water system flows easy ) or along the edges of a pond or any large consistence of piddle . It ’s a cool - time of year plant , so they flourish comfortably in fond Dominicus or anywhere that ’s slightly shaded in the center of summer . Watercress is well recognise for its nutrient - dull benefits , but you need to verify you’repreparing the right condition for your watercressif you ’re planning on consuming it . well for zones 5 to 9 .
Frequently Asked Questions
The genus Lotus flower may be the ultimate advantage for anyone growing a lotus plant . However , you should be mindful that the blossom will be the last thing to look , and it only lasts up to three days . Blossoms usually open up in the early morn and airless by mid- or late afternoon , clearly taking in as much sun exposure as they can . The lotus plant itself is perennialwhich means once it has settle in the pool ( or , if potted , the consideration are systematically ripe as far as temperature , water , sun , dirt , etc . ) , it should bloom for many year to do .
The white lily works has positive import and symbolisation depending on religions or cultures . In universal , it represent purity , conversion , and awake to a more spiritual life story . rise up from a dark spot into something beautiful to live life at its fullest , and then letting go without any regrets , which is exactly how a lotus flush grows — coming out tardily from underneath the water , opening up for only 3 daylight , and letting go of its petal until its clock time for reincarnation and begin afresh .
Nelumbo nucifera . Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants , University of Florida .
Credit: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
