American Lotus
Nelumbo lutea
- Native to:
- Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, United States
Trevor Edmonson
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Nelumbonaceae
- Genus:
- Nelumbo
- Species:
- Nelumbo lutea
- USDA Symbol:
- NELU
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, cream
- Food Forest:
- Contains edible parts
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
American lotus borer (Ostrinia penitalis), Cattail Borer Moth (Bellura obliqua)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) Moths:American lotus borer (Ostrinia penitalis)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- waterfowl, birds, small mammals, bees
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, organic, clay loam
- pH:
- 6.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Thrives in shallow water or muddy substrates
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds have extremely hard seed coats requiring mechanical scarification; germination occurs in warm water after stratification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds were scarified
Source: npn.rngr.net