- Hardy Pond Plants, Lotus-
Mrs. Perry D. Slocum Changeable Lotus, Pink First Lady Lotus, Pink Chawan Basu Lotus,
Pink Momo Botan Lotus, White Spring Bird Lotus, White Asiatic Alba Lotus
 White Tulip Lotus, Yellow Giant Sunburst Lotus, Red Scarf Lotus, Red Caspicum Lotus.

Hardy Water Lotus - Lotus are hardy perennials considered sacred in Buddhist's beliefs. This group of water garden plants are sold as tubers and dependent upon the variety, vary from as little as 3" long up to 18" long. The larger varieties have leaves capable of reaching 2 feet in circumference and colossal flowers up to 1 foot in diameter! The smaller varieties can have leaves and flowers as small as 2-3" but still require a spacious container to be able to spread out and attain optimum development.

Lotus are Voracious Eaters Get Lotus Food Too!

PLANTING WATER LOTUS - Float your lotus tuber in pond water for 10-14 days in a warm sunny place (water temp 70-80 degrees) before planting. Change the water frequently. If the water is allowed to get too cold at night this can kill the new growth and the tuber will rot. You can use a heating pad set on the low setting under the pan of water to keep them warm. This allows the tuber to sprout and will increase your success in growing lotus. Don't plant the newly sprouted tuber in a cold pond. Wait until your pond gets up to 65-70 degrees. Once established in your pond they are a hardy plant and will come back year after year in even the coldest of climates when the water warms up. When your lotus is ready to plant, fill up a 5 to 10 gallon or 12” x 12” pot with 6" of topsoil with pea stone at a rate of 75% topsoil 25% pea stone. This will improve aeration in the soil. Place the lotus tuber with the growing tips straight upwards centered in the pot. Gently press the tuber into the mud being very careful not to damage the new growing tips. Add a 1" layer of gravel to cover the tuber and to keep the tuber from floating. Lotus are very heavy feeders, but should not be fertilized until they have put up two or three leaves. After they have set leaves they should be given 1 or 2 tabs of fertilizer per pot. Place it in the pond no more than 8 inches deep of water over the top of the pot. In the fall move the lotus to the deep water to winter over. Don't cut all the stems off as they provide nutrients to the root system.

All lotus on this page are good for any geographic area as long as it is planted and started in warm water. The will not start to develop until the water reaches 70 degrees. Keep in mind once they start to get going they are very invasive and the roots will branch out all over if not contained in a large pot. Don't direct bury it in your pond gravel or bottom. Starting it inside may get you blooms this year. But, more often than not a Lotus is a next-year type of plant for blooms.