Wikimedia Commons
Nelumbonaceae
American Lotus
Nelumbo lutea
Purity rising from mud.
- Family
- Nelumbonaceae
- Genus
- Nelumbo
- Native to
- Eastern North America
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- aquatic perennial
- Height
- 1-3 ft (above water)
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- muddy pond bottoms, rich silt
- Water
- high
- Hardiness
- 4-11
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Its leaves are superhydrophobic, meaning water beads up and rolls off, carrying dirt with it (the lotus effect).
- Seeds can remain viable for centuries; some have germinated after over 400 years of dormancy.
- Native Americans cultivated it as a food crop, eating the seeds, tubers, and young leaves.
- The large circular leaves can grow over 2 feet across and support the weight of small birds.
- It is the only lotus species native to the Western Hemisphere, with its Asian cousin being the sacred lotus.
Color meanings
0
purity
1
spiritual awakening
2
rebirth