Nelumbo Angel Wings

Nelumbo 'Angel Wings' is a highly floriferous miniature lotus that offers modest-sized, but uniquely shaped "dancing" white flowers. Their pure white petals, slightly twisted, reveal a beautiful golden yellow heart. Well suited for small ponds and container gardening, this variety has all the charm of the sacred lotus of India, but is shorter and less vigorous. It has decorative round and undulate leaves, and blooms for long weeks in summer. Its flowers emit a light anise fragrance.

Nelumbo 'Angel Wings' is a horticultural creation by Perry Slocum dating back to 1984. It is an aquatic perennial plant of the Nelumbonaceae family. Its foliage and flower rise above the water, unlike what is observed in water lilies. The original range of the species, Nelumbo nucifera, includes Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. In these regions, it inhabits large ponds and muddy water-filled canals, standing out with majesty.

The 'Angel Wings' variety develops, starting from spring, dark green leaves, more or less erect, with a flat or concave surface, undulated at the edges. Water droplets projected onto their surface bead up instead of spreading out due to the water-repellent quality of the epidermis. The entire and peltate lamina, measuring between 10 and 15cm in diameter, attaches to the very brittle rootstock by a thin spiny petiole, fixed under the centre of the leaf. The plant will rise to about 45-50cm above the water surface. Flowering begins in June-July and extends until late summer, depending on the climate. The flowers, measuring 10cm in diameter, are solitary. They persist for several days before wilting and will be replaced by new flower buds. This flowering is followed by the formation of highly decorative fruits shaped like a watering can spout with small holes releasing mature seeds. It is often used in the making of dried bouquets and contains numerous seeds that will eventually sink and germinate in the mud.

This 'Angel Wings' lotus is hardy if its rootstock does not freeze. It can also be taken out of the water in autumn and stored frost-free, in slightly moist mud. It is ideal for small water plants and adapts to cultivation in various watertight containers that will decorate the terrace or balcony. The number of flowers produced depends on the size of the cultivation container. In a 30cm diameter container, the plant will produce between 3 and 8 flowers, 8 to 15 flowers in a 50cm container, and up to 25 in a basin or barrel with an 80cm diameter.

Nelumbos and water lilies will be the main attraction of your pond plantings. Most of them bloom from spring until early autumn. The lotus is also an essential plant for maintaining the balance of a garden pond, as it contributes to water oxygenation. Its leaves provide shade and shelter for your fish, which, in return, protect them from predatory insects such as aphids.

The entire plant is edible. The seeds are consumed candied, and the rootstock is a nourishing starch. The yellow stamens are used to flavor tea in Vietnam. The rootstock and seeds are also used in Chinese cosmetics to fight against aging, as well as in medicine and perfumery.

The perfection of the flower and fruit of the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) makes this aquatic plant a symbol of purity in several religions. In Buddhism, it derives its sacred character from the belief that Buddha appeared floating on its leaf. In Hinduism, it is perceived as the cradle of the universe.