Jing Yi Hong Shang
Nelumbo nucifera
The vibrant color of the first day flower of 'Brocade on Red Cloth' is especially lovely! Wide petals with very warm red/orange color circle the golden receptacle surrounded by large milky stamen. As the flower ages these petals appear more elongated--it looks like a totally different flower--but both are stunning. The seed pods are perfect for dried flower arrangements. Look for LOTS of flowers throughout the summer.
One of Laura's favorites!
Flower Color: Red/Orange
Plant Height: Medium, 24’-47”
Flower Type: Single or Few Petal, less than 20 petals
Pot Size: 18” and wider, 10”-18” deep
Wait until the lotus plant has several floating leaves or begins to put up aerial leaves before adding fertilizer.
Choose a good fertilizer such as Waterlily World Tablets, Pondtabbs or Landon’s Aquatic Fertilizer and follow the instructions carefully. The amount of fertilizer to use is usually based on the size of the pot and the amount of soil in the pot. For example, most of the small tablets such as Waterlily World Tablets and Pondtabbs are added at a ratio of 1-2 tablets per gallon of soil in the pot.
Once the lotus has started to grow vigorously tablets can be added every 3-4 weeks.
Stop fertilizing in late summer to allow the lotus to use up all the fertilizer in the pot before going dormant. This encourages the lotus to form better tubers.