Common Name:

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Family:

Nelumbonaceae

Form:

Size:

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Noted For:

Recommended Uses:

Considerations:

Availability:

Propagation:

Light:

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

1 ---to--- Aquatic

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam, Organic

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A

Wildlife:

The flowers are cross-pollinated by bees which collect pollen for their larvae.  Two bee species  that occur in Florida Lasioglossum nelumbonis and and Hylaeus nelumbonis, specialize in the pollen of the American lotus. Other visitors include flower flies (Syrphidae), shore flies (Ephydridae), and miscellaneous beetles. This latter group of floral visitors feed on pollen.  ( Illinois Wildfllowers ).  

The seeds of this wildflower are consumed by the Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, and probably other waterfowl. ( Illinois Wildfllowers ).  Beaver (and likely other wetland mammals) will consume seeds and veegetative parts of the plant.

Native Habitats:

Natural Range in Florida:

Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

This can be a love-it-or-hate-it plant.  It is robust and can cover a large area.  Consider where you are going to plant it, and avoid planting in areas where it could take over a community pond.

While this plant meets the Florida Native Plant Society's definition of native (here when Europeans first arrived), the center of its range is the Mississippi River and its tributaries.  American Indians are known to have spread this plant given that it was a good, prolific food source once established.  They may have brought it to Florida.