Facts about Lotus Flowers

Dave Heinen shares the above image of a Lotus Flower in his own Kansas City backyard landscaping

Facts about Lotus Flowers from the Flower Expert

The Lotus is a sacred flower for Buddhists.
In Egyptian mythology, the Lotus is associated with the sun, because it bloomed by day and closed by night. The Lotus is even believed to have given birth to the sun.
The roots of the Lotus are planted in the soil of the pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on top of the water surface. The Lotus flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the water.
The Lotus flowers, seeds, young leaves and rhizomes are all edible. In Asia, the petals are sometimes used for garnish, while the large leaves are used as a wrap for food.

Lotus Plant Care

The Lotus plant should be fertilized sparingly for the first year.
Too much fertilizer may cause the Lotus foliage to burn.
A Lotus plant that is established can be fed every 3 or 4 weeks during the growing season.
Care must be taken when inserting fertilizer tabs, because the growing tip and new growth can be damaged.
It is important to protect the Lotus roots from freezing.
Lotus can winter over in the pond if the pond depth is below the freeze line for your area.
In late fall, the yellowed foliage should be cut off and the plant lowered to the deepest part of the pond.
Or you may lift the tubers after the plant has died back during the fall.
If you lift the tubers, store them in a cool, frost-free location until late spring.
To help prevent mildew and rotting, store them in living sphagnum moss.