Re: Lotus question

From what I hear there is a terrestrial plant called Lotus, but it is not a  
Nelumbo.  That is a bog/water plant.  These are often grown in whiskey  
barrels.  One is definitely enough, they do grow huge.  It is a tuber,  which is 
planted sideways just under the surface of the soil. When dormant,  it is easiest 
to transplant, but one has to be very careful not to harm the  growing tips.  
 They don't need deep water at all, but definitely need  something that will 
HOLD water.  So the barrel would have to have a liner  to keep the soil moist 
and at least have some water over the soil.  
 
There are many different varieties, some named, others not....of  Lotus.  
They come in all different sizes too, some are best suited for  barrels and 
such...others, like the native varieties, do get very large, and can  (and will) 
break a container they are in.  In many parts of the country  they are 
considered invasive.  They grow wild here in the bayous and  waterways, and often cover 
large areas.   The leaves are large and  rounded, and unlike waterlilies 
(even tropicals) grow quite high above the  water.   Lotus are quite spectacular 
in bloom....with their blooms  being held up high above the leaves.  
Interesting aspect of the leaves is  that they repel water.  Water that hits them beads 
up instantly.   Quite fun to watch in the rain.  The seed pods of the lotus 
are quite  ornamental.  Lotus are easily grown from seed.....but named hybrids 
might  revert back to the original.
 
Lotus don't seem to care for extremely cold or extremely hot weather,  
especially if in containers.  
 
Noreen
zone 9
Texas Gulf Coast
 
In a message dated 2/19/2006 4:31:04 PM Central Standard Time,  
gardenchat-owner@hort.net writes:

One of  our MG gardens has asked me to get Lotus nelumbo for their their 
barrels.  Didn't give a common name.  Would I be correct in thinking they 
want  Nelumbo nucifera, Sacred Lotus?  I can't ask them, they don't know.  
Also - they plan to put these in half whiskey barrels which in the past  they 
planted with Impatiens.  They plan to plant one Agastache 'Tutti  Fruiti', 3 
Helichrysum 'Limelight', and 3 of these lotus in each  barrel.  I'm not 
really grasping the concept.  The lotus is a  water plant, the other two like 
dryish soil.  I asked her if she was  inserting something in the barrel to 
hol the water plant, but she dodged  the question.  I mentioned this to the 
Hort Ed and he says one lotus  will be plenty, they get huge.

Any thoughts on all of  this?

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index