Revered in the Chinese culture, the lotus flower (Nelumbo nucifera) is the focus of poems and paintings, and its image adorns architectural buildings and sculptures. Also known as sacred lotus, this showy blossom symbolizes vigor and purity in the Buddhist religion.
Origin and Growth
Native to southern and eastern Asia as well as Australia, lotuses adapt to a wide range of aquatic habitats -- from clear bodies of water to murky marshes. These perennials grow from roots in deep, underwater soil, rising through the water's surface on elongated, cylindrical stalks. A lotus spreads by its stems or seeds and has the potential to overrun a shallow pond.
Seeds
Lotus flower seeds contain medicinal properties and retain their ability to germinate for centuries. According to Maryland's Salisbury University, a lotus seed found at the bottom of an ancient lake in China dates back to over 1,200 years. Used as a food source, lotus seeds can be prepared and eaten like popcorn.
Leaves and Blossoms
Held 6 feet above water by their petioles, lotus leaves can grow up to 2 1/2 feet long. During the summer, fragrant lotus flowers of 4 to 8 inches in size bloom in white, pink, red and yellow atop peduncles. Generally pest resistant, lotus flowers bloom for a period of about three months.
