by johnah on November 9, 2020
Lotus Flower Care
A lotus flower is a tropical flowering plant native to India and Sri Lanka. They are commonly known as the “flower of spring”. They have long stems with white flowers which bloom from March through May.
Their leaves are green or pinkish-white and they resemble tiny umbrellas, with four petals and six stamens. They are very delicate plants that require little water or light to thrive in most climates.
They are not invasive species like some other tropical plants such as sunflowers or dahlias. However, their fragility makes them difficult to propagate and grow outdoors. You will need a special greenhouse to successfully grow lotus flowers indoors.
There are several ways to do it:
Grow your own indoor lotus flower garden using potting mix, soil and fertilizer.
Buy a commercial lotus flower kit. These kits come in various sizes and colors. They include everything you need to start growing a lotus flower indoors.
Purchase a bunch of dried lotus flowers at your local nursery shop. These are easy to grow and provide an excellent source of fresh flowers year round!
There are several varieties of lotus flowers. The most common ones are the American White Water Lotus, and the American Padworth Red. The former normally reaches a diameter of about two feet and can grow as tall as four feet.
This variety has been bred for its large white petals which surround a bright red center. The latter reaches a diameter of about one foot and grows up to three feet in height. It has large red petals with a bright yellow center.
Lotus Plant Care (How To Grow A Lotus)
Lotus plants are very easy to take care of. You can feed them using any brand of fertilizer for tropical plants. If your plant starts to yellow, you should increase the amount of water you give it.
Both sunlight and water are required for lotus flowers to bloom. If you want to increase your chances of seeing a bloom spike, you can place your plant outside in the sun once a day. A temperature of about 50 degrees is best for the plant. If it gets too hot, the lotus flower will start to wither and die.
If you want to start your own seeds, you can do so indoors about eight weeks before you want to transplant them outside. They need a soil pH of between 5.5 and 6.8 and should be watered with a lot of dissolved limestone to achieve this.
They need at least 16 hours of sunlight a day and should be kept at a temperature between 55 and 75 degrees.
About two weeks before you transplant them outside, you should stop watering them. This will force the root to become stronger and allow it to survive in the outside environment. When you do replant them outside, place them in a shady area with a lot of sunlight for about two to three weeks.
This will allow the roots to acclimate slowly. After that, you can increase the amount of sunlight they receive each day until you reach the recommended full sunlight amount.
Lotus plants are not very picky when it comes to soil composition. They grow just as well in sand, loam or clay. Just make sure that the soil you use has a lot of organic material in it and that it drains well.
Water the plant whenever the topsoil becomes dry.
One of the best ways to propagate lotus is by taking cuttings from the edge of a live leaf. This is easy to do and you can replant them later on. All you need to do is let the cut surface callous over for about two days.
Then, insert the cutting into soil, sand or even fast-dissolving sulfur.
Lotus plants are different from most plants in that they’re able to bloom underwater. In fact, they bloom underwater in the wild. In order to have your plant bloom, you’ll need to place it in a container with water and stir up the sediment at the bottom.
Then, remove the topsoil and start placing small rocks at the bottom of the container. After that, put down a layer of small gravel and place your lotus plant on top of that. Fill in around your plant with more gravel. After that, place a layer of small pebbles on the top. These will act as a buffer and help keep your water clean. At the very top, mix two parts soil with one part peat moss. This creates a place for your water to rest before trickling down over your plant’s roots.
The final step is to place your container in a spot where it will get at least six hours of sunlight a day. Every couple of days, add an ounce of gravel and stir it around the bottom of the container. Continue to water your plant whenever the topsoil becomes dry.
Lotuses are fascinating plants that can thrive under a wide variety of conditions. They’re also fun and easy to take care of. Before you know it, you’ll have fully grown flower sitting in your home or garden.
Good luck!
Sources & references used in this article:
The regulation of maternal investment in an indeterminate flowering plant (Lotus corniculatus) by AG Stephenson – Ecology, 1984 – Wiley Online Library
Relationships between flowering phenology, plant size and reproductive success in shape Lotus corniculatus (Fabaceae) by J Ollerton, A Lack – Plant ecology, 1998 – Springer
Chemistry and Crystal Growth of Plant Wax Tubules of Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) and Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) Leaves on Technical Substrates by K Koch, A Dommisse, W Barthlott – Crystal growth & design, 2006 – ACS Publications
… of a soybean gene encoding cytosolic glutamine synthetase in shoots of transgenic Lotus corniculatus L. plants triggers changes in ammonium assimilation and plant … by RÚ Vincent, V Fraisier, S Chaillou, MA Limami… – Planta, 1997 – Springer
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