Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Aquatics
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Southern Asia
Types
-
Nelumbo nucifera
Number of Varieties
3100
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Ponds
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-99-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White, Red, Pink, Light Pink, Hot Pink, Rose, Coral
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Lime Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Lime Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Lime Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Orbicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, In Water, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Cut away fading foliage
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
20N–4.4P–16.6K at 20-d intervals
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Aphids, Caterpillars
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single, Double, Semi-Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Beetles, Insects
Allergy
Asthma
Constipation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
Promotes healthy skin, Provides herbal hair care
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antidiarrhoeal, Astringent, Cancer, Cardiotonic, Febrifuge, Hypotensive, Resolvent, Stomachic, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Leaves are used to wrap small parcels, Roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute, Root is used as a vegetable
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Feature Plant, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
NELUMBO nucifera
Common Name
River Birch
East Indian Lotus, Sacred Lotus
In Hindi
River Birch
पवित्र कमल
In German
Fluss Birch
Heiliges Lotus
In French
Birch river
Lotus Sacré
In Spanish
river Birch
loto sagrado
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
ιερή Lotus
In Portuguese
river Birch
Lotus sagrado
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Sacred Lotus
In Latin
Betula
sacra Lotus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Proteales
Family
Betulaceae
Nymphaeaceae
Genus
Betula
Abelia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nelumbonaceae
Number of Species
35
1
27800
👆🏻