Plant · P-275

Lotus

Nelumbo nucifera

Sacred lotus grows from a rhizome buried in pond mud, sending up round leaves well above the waterline and flowers that open for only a few days at a time. Nearly every part is food: the crisp starchy rhizome, seeds that pop like popcorn, young leaves as greens, and mature leaves used to wrap food for steaming. It needs full sun and warm water to flower well, and the same digging that harvests the rhizome every couple of years also keeps its spreading rhizome mat contained. A dense stand also shades the whole pond surface, cutting evaporation on a scorching summer day.