Which is easier to grow, the lotus or the purple magnolia? A detailed explanation of the differences between the two

The world is vast and full of wonders; people can look alike, and so can flowers and plants. Among them, even veteran gardeners find it hard to tell apart two plants: the lotus and the purple magnolia. So how can you quickly distinguish these two plants in the flower market? Let's take a closer look below.

Although the lotus and the purple magnolia do not belong to the same family or genus, their appearance and form are similar, and at a glance they are quite hard to tell apart. But in terms of actual growth habits, they are fairly easy to distinguish: the lotus belongs to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) and mostly grows in ponds or along riverbanks in the water, while the purple magnolia belongs to the magnolia family (Magnoliaceae) and is a woody plant, usually growing in soil on land.

Second, you can place the lotus and the purple magnolia together to observe them; their leaves are different. First, the lotus has round leaves, its flowers are solitary, the flower color is mostly white or pink, with many petals and a yellow center, and its peak blooming period is in summer. The purple magnolia's leaves are more oval, its flowers are relatively large, the flower color is generally purple and white, and its peak blooming period is in spring.
Furthermore, because the growing environments of the lotus and the purple magnolia differ quite a lot, their growing conditions also differ. The lotus needs to grow in water, so it has requirements for water quality and light, and it likes a warm and humid environment. Compared with the purple magnolia, which grows on land, it is more adaptable; it can be in sunlight or tolerate a semi-shaded environment, and it is not too demanding about soil. In addition, the propagation methods of the lotus and the purple magnolia are not the same either. The lotus mainly relies on division and seed propagation, while the purple magnolia is propagated by cuttings and grafting.

In general, although the lotus and the purple magnolia look similar at a glance, they do indeed have relatively big differences, because the lotus is an aquatic plant that naturally likes to grow in water, while the purple magnolia is a woody plant that can only grow in soil on land. At the same time, the lotus's flowers are a bit smaller and more delicate, while the purple magnolia's flowers look larger and more gorgeous compared with the lotus. You can combine the differences mentioned above to better distinguish these two plants.