In a country rich with heritage and symbolism, the lotus flower is a beautiful water plant complete with broad floating leaves and lovely flowers. The lotus is often called a water lily, although in India is rarely called by any other name. In India, the lotus flower symbolizes divinity, fertility, wealth, knowledge and enlightenment. As a flower so rich in meaning, it is considered pure and untouched and is grown throughout India in ancient traditions.

The State Flower of India

The lotus flower is an aquatic plant grown in ponds or occurring naturally throughout India. The blossoms sit on floating leaves. The bright green leaves are broad and sit on top of the water. The lotus flower in bright pinks or whites sits above the surface of the water. The color of the lotus flower actually divides the type of plant. There are red and white lotus flowers which differ only in color; the shape of the flower is the same.

Growing out of the water, the lotus flower is a collection of stiff petals that grow in an overlapping, symmetrical pattern. The blossom appears much like a burst of petals in a structured, delicately arranged pattern. Around the bottom of the flower are green leaves that help support the blossom while also setting off the brightness of the petals. Lotus flowers grow only in shallow, serene areas, so they are considered to be among the most desirable of plants for a garden.

Growing Lotus

The purity of the lotus flower stems from the idea of its long stalk reaching up through murky pond water to blossom into a beautiful flower. For the gardener, this is inspiring in the sense that you’ll be able to grow lotus in a backyard pond with very little disturbances. The lotus loves heat and will bloom in the late summer months. Lotus flowers need at least six hours of sunlight per day and the roots need to be four to ten inches under water.