Nelumbo Princess Abby of Ten-Mile Creek - Lotus

Nelumbo 'Princess Abby of Ten-Mile Creek' is an adorable dwarf lotus with single flowers, whose "versicolour" pink and cream hues change over the days. These flowers bloom abundantly throughout the summer. This variety is perfectly suited to small water features, patio ponds, and barrels, while retaining the exotic charm of the sacred lotus of India. The plant is hardy if its rhizome does not freeze. It can also be removed from the water in autumn and stored away from frost, in just slightly moist mud.

Lotus 'Princess Abby' was created by Ten Mile Creek Nursery in 2015 in Alabama, U.S.A. This variety belongs to the series "Little Princess" and is named after Abigail Kennedy Bancroft, granddaughter of the founding family. Belonging to the Nelumbonaceae family, it is an aquatic plant whose foliage and flowers rise above the water, unlike water lilies. The native range of the type species, Nelumbo nucifera, includes Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. In these regions, it thrives in large ponds and canals filled with muddy water, from which it majestically emerges. From spring onwards, the plant develops lovely round green leaves, measuring between 10 and 20 cm in diameter. Like all lotuses, its leaves are hydrophobic, meaning water beads up without spreading, creating a fascinating visual effect. The leaves stand above the water thanks to long petioles connecting them to the rhizome buried in the mud. Flowering begins in June and continues until August-September. At the top of the flowering stems, blooms appear with a diameter of 6 to 12 cm. 'Princess Abby' produces single yet graceful flowers, whose bright pink edges gradually soften to a paler pink over the days. Each flower lasts several days before fading, making way for new buds. This flowering is followed by highly decorative fruits shaped like watering can spouts, studded with small holes that release the seeds when ripe. It is often used in dried flower arrangements and contains numerous seeds that will eventually sink and germinate in the mud.

Lotus plays an essential role in a garden pond. Its leaves provide shade and shelter for fish, while also protecting them from harmful insects. It also contributes to the oxygenation of the water, thus supporting the balance of the aquatic ecosystem. You can pair it with floating plants like water chestnut or a bladderwort.
The sacred lotus is a symbol of purity and spirituality in several cultures and religions. In Buddhism, it is said that Buddha appeared floating on a lotus leaf. In Hinduism, it is seen as the cradle of the universe.