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American Lotus |
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Great Yellow Water Lily |
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Rattle Nut |
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Water Chinquapin |
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Lotus |
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Yellow Water Lotus |
Nelumbo lutea | Accepted |
Nelumbo pentapetala | Synonym |
Plant Habit: | Herb/Forb |
Life cycle: | Perennial |
Sun Requirements: | Full Sun to Partial Shade |
Water Preferences: | In Water |
Minimum cold hardiness: | Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F) |
Maximum recommended zone: | Zone 11 |
Leaves: | Deciduous Other: up to 2' diameter; may be held above water or may float |
Fruit: | Showy Other: seeds and tuber-like underwater rootstock edible |
Flowers: | Showy |
Flower Color: | White Yellow |
Flower Time: | Late spring or early summer Summer Late summer or early fall |
Underground structures: | Bulb |
Uses: | Water gardens Will Naturalize |
Edible Parts: | Fruit |
Wildlife Attractant: | Bees |
Propagation: Seeds: | Scarify seeds Other info: Seed is reputedly viable for decades, perhaps a thousand years!. |
Propagation: Other methods: | Division |
Containers: | Suitable in 3 gallon or larger |
Here's a report of the most popular water garden plants from our database!
(Full article • 14 comments)
(17)
Posted by dyzzypyxxy (Sarasota, Fl) on Aug 28, 2014 1:07 PM Beautiful water garden plant with velvety non-wettable leaves. Water drops roll around on them like mercury, to the delight of kids. Tubers are extremely fragile and must be handled gently when planting or transplanting. Any injury to the tuber results in rotting and death of the plant. Heavy feeder once it starts up, and water must warm to above 70deg. to start growth. Take care to grow in at least 4 hours of full sun per day for blooming. [ Reply to this comment | |
Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on Oct 17, 2014 4:37 PM In Illinois it is a perennial wildflower known as an emergent aquatic plant. Roots (large tuber) are anchored in mud, but leaves and flowers are held above water surface. Flowers mid to late summer for appx. a month and a half. Lives in lakes, swamps, ponds, slow rivers, wetlands, and areas prone to flood. Large colonies, as found along the Illinois River, are not uncommon. [ Reply to this comment | |
Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Sep 8, 2018 10:57 AM There are two species of Lotus in the world. One is the Sacred or Indian Lotus of Asia and northern Australia, Nelumbo nucifera, which has white to pink flowers. The other is this American or Yellow Lotus (Nelumbo lutea), which is native from Honduras to Mexico and the Caribbean up through Florida to Texas up to Minnesota and southern Ontario into New England. It bears the white to yellow 4 to 11 inch wide, fragrant flowers with 22 to 25 petals in late spring into summer. Its bowl-like, round leaves are held 1 to 6 feet above the water. Its roots are anchored in the mud. [ Reply to this comment | |
Posted by Mindy03 (Delta KY) on May 4, 2012 12:53 PM Honey bees get pollen from this plant. [ Reply to this comment | |
Thread Title | Last Reply | Replies |
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I have a question by TexasPlumeria87 | Feb 25, 2014 11:41 AM | 0 |
Spatterdock, Cow Lily, yellow pond lily, Nuphar lutea by needrain | May 23, 2018 6:10 PM | 11 |
Nelumbo Lutea Flower True Color by Milano | Nov 6, 2016 6:41 PM | 4 |
How do I get pond water much cleaner, less muddy brown by bhart90 | May 30, 2016 2:46 PM | 19 |
Planting Suggestions - Rainwater Level Spreader - by mica78 | Apr 30, 2016 4:43 PM | 15 |
American Lotus by Frillylily | Feb 5, 2019 2:16 PM | 19 |
Growing lotus? by dyzzypyxxy | Jul 3, 2016 3:37 PM | 21 |
Our Orchid blooms in August 2015 by Ursula | Sep 1, 2015 7:54 AM | 315 |
The Circle of Life: everything else by evermorelawnless | May 12, 2016 10:26 AM | 731 |
Todays Wildflowers by Horntoad | Dec 16, 2013 3:21 PM | 18 |
Anyone growing lotus? by extranjera | Mar 6, 2014 5:48 PM | 90 |
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