Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Lotus Nelumbo Nucifera in Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

On my recent visit to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden I was absolutely stunned by these strikingly beautiful and exotic flowers! I had no idea they grow in Virginia. Nelumbo Nucifera commonly known as Lotus is a rather large plant with leaves sometimes measuring as much as 24 inch. in diameter.
Nelumbo Nucifera Lotus in Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Lotuses are apparently edible and very few people actually know about it. For centuries natives of Australia, Japan, and southeast Asia have been using different parts of this plant in their cuisines. According to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden official page lotus leaf stalks are added to salads and their seeds taste like almonds. The flowers' roots are pickled and their stamens are dried and turned into tea.
lotus flowers in Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
I personally like the beauty of Nelumbo Nucifera flowers. Large and unusually shaped they are of tender pink and vanilla hues. A dried seed cup looks like an alien spaceship and with no doubt could be turned into a great house decoration.
exotic Nelumbo Nucifera in richmond virginia

9 Comments:

Katrinshine said...

It's so beautiful! I don't have words...

Arctida said...

Such a beautiful flower! and great shots of it too :)

GalaFilc said...

Beautiful Lotus!

lightkeeping said...

So beautiful!

daimblond said...

so beautiful tender flower! gives inspiration:)

Irina said...

Beautiful flower!I love your photos

Ginnie's Gems said...

I hope you don't mind. I would like to post one of your lotus pics on my blog.
Thanks.
Ginnie
http://GinniesGems.blogspot.com

TonyaUtkina said...

Ginnie,
I surely don't mind! You've got a nice blog and featured treasuries are wonderful! I'm a treasury fan myself!:)

Tess Carter said...

sooo lovely!