Nelumbo nucifera Purple Fairy 2 - Sacred lotus

Nelumbo nucifera ‘Purple Fairy 2’ is a dwarf lotus well-suited to growing in a bowl, pot, or mini-pond. This variety offers a very vibrant flowering, despite its small size: single, cup-shaped, purplish-red flowers, held above exotic foliage. This compact Indian lotus will adorn a terrace or a small, very sunny water garden. Lotus is winter-hardy provided its rhizome does not freeze.

The Nelumbo genus alone constitutes the Nelumbonaceae family. Nelumbo nucifera, the sacred lotus of Asia, is a perennial aquatic plant with a fleshy rhizome, rooted in mud, whose first floating leaves in spring are followed by aerial foliage. This is, in fact, one of the characteristics that most clearly distinguishes it from water lilies: in the lotus, leaves and flowers stand well above the water. The leaves are peltate, almost circular, with a slightly waxy surface on which water droplets roll without spreading.

'Purple Fairy 2’, also distributed under the name ‘Purple Fairy #2’, is the same as the Chinese cultivar Zi Xian No.2. It belongs to a group of dwarf lotuses selected in China for cultivation in bowls, a practice that is developing in small urban gardens and on balconies. The plant does not exceed 30 cm in height. It is a very floriferous small lotus, with a single dark red flower, whose petals sometimes take on a purplish hue; the flower, approximately 10 cm in diameter, is borne on a stem 25-30 cm tall. It has fewer than 25 petals, and the stamens and central receptacle are clearly visible. Flowering renews from July to September. Each flower lasts only a few days, but the buds follow one another regularly if the plant has warmth, sun, and consistent feeding. The foliage is proportionate to the size of the container. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow and then disappear, while the rhizome goes dormant until spring regrowth.

This compact lotus is well-suited to bowls, aquatic pots, water dishes, barrels, patio ponds, and mini-ponds. A round, watertight container, 18 to 28 cm in diameter and 15 to 20 cm deep, is sufficient for its cultivation. Like other dwarf lotuses, it prefers a shallow water depth: 5 to 10 cm at the start, then up to 30 cm for a well-established plant.

In a small water garden, this lotus will be the main feature, with foliage that does not overcrowd the container. Around it, you can place other plants in separate pots, for example, Equisetum scirpoides, Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’ or Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’. In winter, lower the pot if the water feature does not freeze to the bottom; otherwise, overwinter the container frost-free, filled with water.

This small red lotus extends the possibilities for practising the Chinese tradition of cultivating lotus in containers. A symbol of purity and spirituality, the sacred lotus is essential in several traditions and religions. In Buddhism, it is said that Buddha appeared floating on a lotus leaf, while in Hinduism, it is considered the cradle of the universe.