Nelumbo nucifera Pink Lady - Sacred lotus

Nelumbo nucifera ‘Pink Lady’ is a large-growing Indian lotus, endowed with a bright pink, very double flowering and luxuriant vegetation, which does not go unnoticed in a pond. This variety produces large flowers in summer, held well above the water by sturdy stems. It is suitable for large ponds, pools, and vast bodies of water. It can also be accommodated in a large-volume aquatic container.

The sacred lotus belongs to the Nelumbonaceae family. The species Nelumbo nucifera is a rhizomatous aquatic perennial that grows in a vast area ranging from Asia to northern and northeastern Australia. It roots in mud or a silty and clayey substrate. In the lotus, the leaves and flowers emerge well above the surface, while water lilies most often have floating foliage. The leaf blades are peltate, almost circular, borne on long petioles and covered with a waxy surface on which water forms beads.

'Pink Lady’ is a horticultural cultivar classified among the large lotuses, with a height of about 1.20 m, or even more. Some American nurseries relate this variety to Thai strains, particularly due to its somewhat oval receptacle. The plant develops ample, bright green aerial foliage. Flowering spreads from July to September. The flowers measure 20 to 30 cm in diameter and have more than 50 petals, placing them among the very double forms. Their colour is a fresh and bright pink that contrasts with the chartreuse green receptacle, clearly visible at the centre of the flower. This cultivar is particularly floriferous. In autumn, the foliage yellows and then disappears, while the rhizome enters dormancy for the winter.

Due to its vigour, ‘Pink Lady’ is not intended for mini-ponds. It should be planted in a large, watertight container, wider than deep, at least 50 cm in diameter, to give the rhizome the necessary space without letting it invade the entire pond. The latter should be covered with 30 to 45 cm of water. This lotus should be grown alone in its container while companion plants are placed at a distance, on the bank, in shallow water, or in another basket. Pontederia cordata ‘White Pike’, Pontederia cordata ‘Pink Pons’, or water lily ‘Gonnère’ can accompany it in an aquatic scene.

This large and beautiful lotus naturally finds its place in a large, very sunny body of water. It will be a main feature and should be given enough space so that its foliage and flowers are clearly visible. Like other lotuses, it partially shades the water and helps provide shelter for small aquatic wildlife. In winter, if the pot is already submerged quite low, it can remain in place; if the pot is exposed to frost, it will need to be lowered deeper once the plant is dormant or sheltered from frost.