Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn ( Sacred lotus )

Scientific Name : Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. 

Family: Nymphaeaceae

Common Name(s): Indian lotus , Chinese water lily , Sacred lotus , Kamala , Padma

Uses : There are numerous reported pharmacologic investigations of sacred lotus, including antioxidant, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-infective, hyperlipidemic, and psychopharmacologic activity. However, clinical trials are lacking.

Water Temperature : Growing water lotus from seed is easier than you might think. Water lotus seed should be started in the late springtime when the water temperature is at least 70° F warm.

PREPARING THE SEED 

1. Scarring the seed will make it germinate in 2-3 days. Take a saw and carefully remove front and back top of the seed. Since seed is hard and round be careful not to cut yourself. When making a cut on the seed do not overdo-it; when you see the reddish layer under your saw you don`t have to saw anymore and you can go to the next side. If you cut too much you will see white part of the seed which will rot if it is damaged. If seed starts to stink it is rotting and most likely will not germinate. Seed can germinate in some cases after 48 hours and in some after a week.

2. Since I never know from which side leaf will develop I remove front and back "cap".

3. Put the seed into to water. Don`t insert it deep into the soil (up to the half of the seeds height) because this way you can see its progress much better and that is very interesting part. :) (if seed starts to float just leave it in the water - if it is viable and when it absorbs enough water it will sink).

4. Place the container in a place where it is warm (kitchen or window or something like that). In day or two (sometimes a bit longer) seed will germinate. Sometimes water can become blurry so you if you have you can put in it noninvasive water plant that will produce oxygen. But in most cases water will stay clean. :)

NOTE : if germinating in a small container:  Changing water prevents the rotting of lotus seed. To do that you can simply use syringe or some other tool you can find :).

You can germinate seed and grow plant in a container inside the house and then transplant lotus into a bigger container or pond OR you can simply germinate the seed in a ordinary glass of water and when it cracks move it to the place where it will grow. (germinating inside speeds up the process because the seed is in a warm place)  

Since weather is still cold I will germinate and temporarily grow my lotus in a container inside the house. This is how

GERMINATING SEED IN THE CONTAINER 

  

1. After finding a small container (deeper the better) where you will grow your lotus until it gets bigger, cover the bottom of it with 5 cm (2 inches) of nutritious soil (that used for flowers or you can dig some up in your backyard ). I dug some up from the place where snowdrops grow. Use container that can accommodate at least 3 leafs that are 5cm (2 inch) in diameter.

2. Cover the nutritious soil with clay like soil which will prevent parts of nutritious soil to rise up to the surface. I use 1 cm (approximately 1/2 inch) soil from the fields.  The color of soil on the photographs might be similar but the in reality the first one is much darker than second one.

3. Slowly add water so that it does not disturb soil on the bottom and water doesn't get blurry (although even if that does happen particles of soil will settle down again after some time). If you get a lot of particles floating on the surface you can use a piece of cloth to collect them but it is not necessary.

The one below is planted 20 hours ago. It swollen up after only 4 hours in a water. Keep in mind that sometimes seed can germinate and everything might look fine but half way from developing a strong root the plant can start to rot. I had that kind of situation and there was nothing I could do; at least I did not know what to do and still don`t know

(small leafs on the surface are common duckweed)

This is a seedling days after it has germinated.

1 day

2 day

5 day

This is a lotus 35 days old (counting from the day it germinated). It is the one from the first photo in this post and it is interesting to note that it has lost its first leaf but it continued to grow anyway.

Progressing

After 2 month