Nelumbo nucifera: Country Or Region Of Origin
Asia (Iran to China, Japan and New Guinea) and NE Australia
Plant Profile: Nelumbo nucifera
Taxonomy: Nelumbo nuciferaNames
Chinese Arrowroot, Chinese Waterlily, Eastern Lotus, East Indian Lotus, Egyptian Sacred Bean, Indian Lotus, Padma, Sacred Lotus, Water Bean, Water Lotus
Phonetic Spelling:nee-LUM-bo noo-SIFF-er-uh
Genus:Nelumbo
Species:nucifera
Family:Nelumbonacea
This plant is a perennial species that thrives in aquatic environments and features striking large pink blossoms. Certain states in the Midwest have classified it as a noxious weed.
Nelumbo nucifera Feature Summary
Nelumbo nucifera Image Gallery
Tags
#white
#showy flowers
#full sun tolerant
#water garden
#rain garden
#fragrant flowers
#annual
#white flowers
#pink flowers
#low maintenance
#water plant
#summer flowers
#herbaceous perennial
#large flowers
#pond
#waterlilies
#aquatic plant
#dried seedhead
#pond edge
Similar Plants
Nelumbo nucifera Feature Summary
Attributes
Asia (Iran to China, Japan and New Guinea) and NE Australia
insect pests, diseases
Asian cooking, as well as other cooking, may use the edible leaves, seeds, or even the rhizomes in foods.
Perennial
Annual
Fruit
Seedhead has holes where seeds are inside. Asian cooking, as well as other cooking, may use the edible leaves, seeds, or even the rhizomes in foods. Dried flower arrangments sometimes use the dried seedheads.
Green
Brown/Copper
Edible
Good Dried
1-3 inches
1-3 inches
Flowers
Flowers bloom in the summer (around June and July) and can be as large as 1 foot across!
Pink
White
Fragrant
Showy
Summer
> 6 inches
Leaves
Large leaves are about 2 inches in diameter. Asian cooking, as well as other cooking, may use the edible leaves, seeds, or even the rhizomes in foods.
Green
> 6 inches
Waxy
Edible
> 6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Herbaceous Perennial
Water Plant
Low
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Occasionally Wet
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Stem
Landscape
Rain Garden
Water Garden
Insect Pests
Diseases
Container
Naturalized Area
Pond
Nelumbo nucifera Image Gallery
Nelumbo nucifera Attributes
Nelumbo nucifera: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
insect pests, diseases
Nelumbo nucifera: Edibility
Asian cooking, as well as other cooking, may use the edible leaves, seeds, or even the rhizomes in foods.
Nelumbo nucifera: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Nelumbo nucifera: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Nelumbo nucifera Fruit
Nelumbo nucifera: Fruit Description
Seedhead has holes where seeds are inside. Asian cooking, as well as other cooking, may use the edible leaves, seeds, or even the rhizomes in foods. Dried flower arrangments sometimes use the dried seedheads.
Nelumbo nucifera: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Green
Nelumbo nucifera: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Nelumbo nucifera: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Nelumbo nucifera: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Nelumbo nucifera Flowers
Nelumbo nucifera: Flower Description
Flowers bloom in the summer (around June and July) and can be as large as 1 foot across!
Nelumbo nucifera: Flower Color
Pink
White
Nelumbo nucifera: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Nelumbo nucifera: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Nelumbo nucifera: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Nelumbo nucifera Leaves
Nelumbo nucifera: Leaf Description
Large leaves are about 2 inches in diameter. Asian cooking, as well as other cooking, may use the edible leaves, seeds, or even the rhizomes in foods.
Nelumbo nucifera: Leaf Color
Green
Nelumbo nucifera: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Nelumbo nucifera: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Nelumbo nucifera: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Nelumbo nucifera: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Nelumbo nucifera: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Nelumbo nucifera Whole Plant Traits
Nelumbo nucifera: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Nelumbo nucifera: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Nelumbo nucifera Cultural Conditions
Nelumbo nucifera: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Nelumbo nucifera: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Nelumbo nucifera: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Nelumbo nucifera: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Nelumbo nucifera Stem
Nelumbo nucifera: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Nelumbo nucifera Landscape
Nelumbo nucifera: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Nelumbo nucifera: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Nelumbo nucifera: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
