Nelumbo nucifera Osiris

The Nelumbo 'Osiris' is a cultivar of the sacred Lotus of medium to large size, prized for its floribundity and fragrant bright carmine pink flowers. This superb aquatic perennial is also decorative with its large, almost round leaves carried well above the water surface and its long-lasting summer flowering. Adapted to water bodies and natural ponds, it can be grown in a large container. The lotus will withstand our winters if its rhizome is planted deep enough underwater to be out of reach of frost.

The 'Osiris' Lotus is a horticultural creation by Mr. Latour-Marliac, created around 1900, and quite rare in cultivation. Like all Lotuses, it belongs to the Nelumbonaceae family. It is an aquatic plant with foliage and flowers that rise above the water, unlike in water lilies. The species' original range, Nelumbo nucifera, includes Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. It inhabits large ponds and canals filled with muddy water in these regions, standing out majestically.

The 'Osiris' variety develops, from spring onwards, green-blue leaves, more or less upright, with a flat or concave surface, slightly 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 45 and 60 cm in diameter, attaches to the very brittle rhizome by a thin, spiny petiole fixed under the centre of the leaf. The plant will rise 80 cm to 1.20 m above the water surface. Flowering begins in June-July and lasts until September. The flowers, semi-double, measuring 20 to 25 cm in diameter, are solitary. Their petals are intensely deep pink, almost white around the golden stamens. They are fragrant, remain for three to five days before fading, and are replaced by new flower buds. This flowering is followed by the formation of highly decorative yellow fruits shaped like a watering can with small holes through which the seeds escape when ripe. It is often used to make dried bouquets and contains numerous seeds that will eventually sink and germinate in the mud.

The 'Osiris' Lotus is ideal for large water bodies. However, it also adapts to cultivation in a watertight container with a diameter of 80 cm to 1.10 m, which will decorate the terrace or balcony. Its rhizome should be planted in a clay-like substrate under 25 to 50 cm of water, which must be kept frost-free. It can also be taken out of the water in autumn and overwintered in slightly moist clay.

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

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

The perfection of the sacred lotus flower and fruit (Nelumbo nucifera) makes this aquatic plant a symbol of purity in several religions. Buddhism 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.