Lotus Seed

[Busy B]

Wandering around the local 2nd hand store, found a pod of a lotus...some seeds were still in there. I read somewhere, that the new pods that are being shipped, from say like Pier 1, have been radiated to kill the embryo.

So being the gardner that I am, thought I would give it a try and see if I can get them to sprout. Don't think I have the climate to grow them, but what the hey huh?:)

Found a link on the process...

http://www.victoria-adventure.org/waterlilies/seeds_or_rhizomes.html

Anyone ever tried it?

[Jackie Ramo]

Busy I recently took a dried floral arrangement that was quite tired apart and found an old lotus pod. I scored the seeds and dropped them into the tank with the Betta, sprouted in less than a week. I foolishly then transferred them to the greenhouse with the other tropicals and the snails ate them!!! I have 3 more in with the betta now but it is only day 3 and no sprouting as yet.

[Busy B]

In that article, I did read about snail damage and aphids. There were only 4 seeds left in the pod, so I guess I'll see what happens...

I wintered a umbrella palm and am too nervous to put it back into the pond so I bought a container that will hold water and think I'll set something up on the deck. The palm I fear would be ripped to shreds by the wind. If I can kill the snails that are in the palm container, then I'll pop the seeds into the new and give it a go.

[Jackie Ramo]

Not much kills papyrus... once the lotus gets to a size the snails are not a problem, or weren't for me in the past.

[Busy B]

It grew so tall in the greenhouse looking for light, I'm afraid all the fronds would break...silly thing is even blooming.

[Jackie Ramo]

My pappyrus grew to over 7 ft.... broke most of the fronds getting it outside. I will have to cut the pot to get it out to split it.

[Busy B]

I saw pics of yours in your greenhouse...it's huge!

I got mine last year...I don't want to kill it :grin:

[Jackie Ramo]

Unless you freeze it you can't kill them!!!

BTW my lotus seeds have their first sprout day 5 Ithink!!!

[Busy B]

Cool that the seed can live 200 plus years..

So it's a guess game to what color it could ever be...

2 years before it flowers?

[Jackie Ramo]

About the only thig that isn't a guess about this lotus is if it is tropical. I'm positive I'll have to find room in the house for the darn thing... greenhouse may be too cold. Seems the tropical lily didn't do well there this winter. No leaves yet and its still in the greenhouse. Darn thing cost me almost 50 bucks!!!

[Charla]

You guys need to live in warmer places !dude My tropicals have pads up and the lotus getting bigger by the day

[Jojopotato]

My lilies (hardy) are just now starting to come up I have two or three pads floating...

as for my Lotus seeds, they did really good sprouting but slowed way down after I put them in pots outside... Maybe its just not the right temp here... we are anywheres from low 40's at night to high 60's during the day...

[Jackie Ramo]

Lotus need really warm temps to do well, water in the 70's or 80's makes them grow faster.

My hardy lilies have pads on the top of the water, no buds I can see yet but it won't be long.

[Busy B]

Charla....!bonk !bonk !bonk :)

Still haven't started them, ..nother thing on my to-do list.