Nelumbo Tricolore

The Nelumbo 'Tricolore' is a miniature lotus that offers charming flat flowers, ranging from white with a pink border to pale yellow with a pink border. This variety has all the charm of the sacred lotus of India, with beautiful emerging round leaves and early and prolonged flowering. Still, its small size is well suited for small terrace ponds and container gardening. It is an exceptional variety!

The Lotus 'Tricolore' is a horticultural creation sometimes marketed under 'Little Tri-Color' or 'Xiao San Se Lian'. Like all lotus plants, it belongs to the Nelumbonaceae family. It is an aquatic perennial plant whose foliage and flower 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 Lotus 'Tricolore' develops dark green leaves from spring, more or less upright, with a flat or concave surface and undulated edges. Water droplets on their surface bead up instead of spreading out due to the water-repellent quality of the epidermis. The entire and peltate lamina, measuring between 15 and 25 cm in diameter, attaches to the very brittle rhizome with a thin, spiny petiole fixed under the centre of the leaf. The plant will rise to about 40 cm above the water surface. Flowering begins in June and extends until late summer, depending on the climate. The flowers, measuring 10 to 12 cm in diameter, are solitary. They last three days before wilting and are replaced by new flower buds. This flowering is followed by the formation of highly decorative 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.

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

Lotus 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 essential for maintaining the balance of a garden pond, as it contributes to water oxygenation. Its leaves 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 combat 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.