FNPS Plant Database

Nelumbo lutea

lotus-lily, yellow lotus, American lotus
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

lotus-lily, yellow lotus, American lotus

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Nelumbo lutea

Family:

Nelumbonaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Aquatic

Size:

ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow

Fruit Color:

brown, black

Phenology:

Winter dormant

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Water plant.

Considerations:

Can be aggressive. This is not a plant for small places.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Specialty Provider, Seed

Propagation:

Division of tubers or seed. Seeds are available through the Florida Wildflowers Growers Cooperative.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

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Aquatic -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

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Birds

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:

Ponds, lakes, rivers still or slow moving water in areas not subject to substantial wave action

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Tubers were eaten by Indians (said to be similar to sweet potato) and leaves were eaten as greens (said to be similar to spinach). Dried fruits used as decoration in dried arrangements.

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.
FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Wunderlin, R. P, B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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