Native Lotus
If you’re looking to add some drama to your water garden or pond, the American lotus is the plant for the job.
Its huge, yellow flowers have a lovely fragrance, and the unusual seed pods are often dried and used in floral arrangements.
The lotus is a gorgeous aquatic plant with huge luminescent yellow or pink flowers. The leaves are circular and pad-like, and are attached to a long, submerged stalk. The seed are known to live for thousands of years.
Most types of lotus require plenty of space and a full sun location to thrive. The non-native lotus species is very aggressive, so you may want to plant yours in a container. The American lotus is not as aggressive but can also be planted in a container for ease of care.
Fill a shallow, weighted container with garden soil or potting mix and plant your rhizome. Lower the container into 6 inches of water until growth begins.
Dwarf cultivars of lotus are available for the smaller water garden.