The American lotus is one of our favorite plants. Also known as the lutea lotus, this American native grows with an abandon that’s hard to resist. The creamy white-yellow flowers may be less showy than some of our more ornamental lotus, but sometimes that’s exactly what we want in our water gardens. A robust planting of lutea lotus provides an excellent backdrop for more refined plants, such as iris, canna and tropical water lilies.
Most lotus varieties prefer shallower water, but the American lotus will thrive in water as deep as four feet. The plant grows with abandon, and can spread rapidly through natural, dirt-bottomed ponds. If you want to contain the growth, plant your lutea lotus in a large, sturdy tub.
American lotus flowers, leaves and seed pods all look lovely when cut and displayed in a vase—just be careful to avoid the small thorns that line lotus stems. This plant is an excellent choice for ponds stocked with hungry koi, and the large, raised leaves created shaded areas for fish and frogs to escape the summer sun.
As with all our lotus, the lutea lotus ships bare-root, often with seasonal growth and sometimes even with flower buds and fully developed leaves. For more information, visit our American lotus product page.
How do I divide the lotus rhizomes without damaging them?
Hi Linda - thanks for your question.
Lotus rhizomes are actually very easy to divide, and now (before they send out many leaves and flowers) is the best time to do it. You’ll want to remove your rhizome from its pot and wash the dirt away from it. This should make it easier to identifying the growing points, where your leaves and flowers will sprout. Simply use a sharp knife to slice the rhizome into two or more sections, leaving 2-4 growing points on each section. You’ll also want to trim the roots down to about 6-8 inches, and cut out any bad spots on the rhizome.
Then you just need to pot them up — use a big container to give the lotus plenty of room for growing. Check out our planting instructions for more advice on planting and potting your lotus.