Family: Nelumbonaceae
Scientific name: Nelumbo nucifera 'alba'
Common name: White Indian lotus
Origin: China

A white variety of the Indian lotus. The Indian lotus is a magnificent water lily with shiny, 60 cm big leaves and in this case white flowers The plant is able to ‘warm up’ the flowers, in order to make them more attractive for cold-blooded insects. Measurements proved that the temperature of the flower could be between 30 and 35 degrees Celcius, while the ambient temperature was only 10 degrees Celcius. The plant is holy in Hinduism and Buddhism, and is the national flower of India and Vietnam. All parts of the plant are edible, and the plant is often used in the Asian cuisine.  The Indian lotus can be kept in a pond or a big tub. As long as the water around the roots doesn’t freeze, the species is hardy. A sunny spot is recommended, and use special pondsoil to grow the plants in.

Sowing description: The seeds can stay vigorous for a very long time. Even a 1300 years old seed from China could still germinate! Sand the seeds with sanding paper or a file, until the yellow/whitish inside of the seeds becomes visible. Put the seeds in a glass of water at 20 degC, where the seeds should germinate in about a week. Replace the water regularly. After germination, the seeds can be planted in the pond, or in a tub with pondsoil.

Sowing time: March - August
Difficulty: Intermediate
Minimum temperature: -15 degrees Celsius