What are the other names for the lotus flower? When does it generally bloom?

The beauty of the lotus flower lies not only in its color but also in its noble spirit, and since ancient times it has been an object praised in the words of scholars and writers. The rhizome of the lotus is the lotus root, and the lotus seed pod produces lotus seeds, giving it fairly high edible value. So what are the other names for the lotus flower? When does it generally bloom?

1. What are the other names for the lotus flower?

The other names for the lotus flower include lianhua, fuqu, fentuolihua, shuizhi, shuiyun, shuimu, zezhi, shuihua, and handan. The ancients called the unopened lotus flower handan, meaning the flower bud; other names include shuidancao, furong, shuifurong, yuhuan, liuyuechun, Chinese lotus, liuyuehuashen, ouhua, lingcao, yuzhi, furong in the water, shuigongxianzi, junzihua, tianxianhua, hongqu, xike, bihuanbianrong, bianqu, jinfurong, caofurong, jingke, cuiqian, hongyi, gonglian, and fozuoxu.

2. When does the lotus flower generally bloom?

According to differences in growing environment and location, the lotus is divided into different varieties, mainly three types: ou lotus, seed lotus and flower lotus, and quite a few varieties have been derived from these. Because of differences in variety, climate, region and growing environment, the blooming season of the lotus also varies. Overall, the blooming time of the lotus is concentrated between June and September each year; although the blooming times differ somewhat, they all fall within this period, because outside this period, even under very suitable temperature and humidity conditions, the lotus will not bloom on a large scale; artificially created environments cannot completely replace the laws of nature.

In the Huang-Huai region, with plastic film covering in early spring, young lotus tips emerge in early April, flower buds come out of the water in late May, and they open in early June. Each flower stays open for 6 to 10 days, and each pot can successively produce 6 to 20 flowers. Late-flowering varieties or the use of a second replanting can extend the flowering period to late September or National Day, with the group flowering period lasting as long as 3 to 4 months.

3. Key points for growing lotus

1. Growing soil

Flower pots on the market are divided by material into several types such as porcelain, ceramic and plastic. For display in a single location, porcelain and ceramic pots are attractive and elegant. For large-scale industrial production of commercial potted lotus, plastic flower pots are the better choice. Plastic flower pots come in many specifications, are light to carry, low in cost and easy to manage. The size of the flower pot is chosen according to the variety category. For small lotus plants, a pot with a diameter of 20 to 28 cm and a height of 16 to 22 cm can be chosen; for medium plants, one with a diameter of 28 to 32 cm and a height of 22 to 26 cm should be chosen; for large plants, a cylindrical flower pot with a diameter of 32 cm and a height of 28 cm or more should be chosen. For beginners at cultivation, the pot diameter should be appropriately larger, to help early blooming, more blooming and the development of lotus roots; after mastering the characteristics of each variety and gaining practical experience, one can then move on to small, miniature and bonsai forms. Flower pots with bottom holes must be carefully sealed with cement before use, and must not leak water. For the potting soil, local farmland soil, vegetable garden soil, or river-pond mud free of chemical pollution can all be used.

2. Fertilizing

Potted lotus is grown for the purpose of viewing the flowers, so a phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer should be applied, not urea. Do not apply base fertilizer at the initial planting, to avoid fertilizer burn. After the upright leaves emerge from the water, if the leaf color turns yellow, 6 to 12 granules of diammonium phosphate can be applied as a top dressing per pot each time, once every 2 to 3 weeks. Because the volume is small and fertilizer types differ, the amount applied should be less rather than more, and testing should come before widespread use.

3. Watering

Because the bottom of a potted lotus pot does not leak water, and during the vigorous growing summer the flower pot can still store water from natural rainfall, and no water needs to be added during the winter dormancy period, the number of waterings is far fewer than for other potted flowers. Generally, watering once a week in summer is sufficient, but it must not lack water. Potted lotus has low requirements for water quality; for home cultivation and viewing, rice-washing water and vegetable-washing water can both be used. For large-scale production of potted flowers, lake and pond water, groundwater and cistern water free of serious chemical pollution can all be used.