Lotus

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Lotus, Nelumbo spp.

To get the best out of the lotus, plant in an earth-bottomed pond, as the more the lotus can run, the more it will flower. You’ll need a very warm and sunny location with some protection from wind. Plant so that the tuber is in the soil and the shoots are above in the water. You may need to place a small rock on the tubers to prevent them from floating off. If you’d like to try a lotus in a pot, plant the same way and then gently add water to the pot or container until full. Repot the tuber into a mix of clay and river sand every year in early spring, when new growth has just begun. Our favourites are Nelumbo ‘Mrs Perry D. Slocum’ with a warm pink flower; Nelumbo ‘Carolina Queen’, a single pink in the classic lotus shape; and Nelumbo ‘Cream Lutea’, a big white single.

These eye-catching aquatic plants are flowering now, filling ponds and water bowls with their beautiful blooms.

Text: Linda Ross