Never done it. But lotus is a warm weather plant, and you can be sure you'll give it the freezy-jeebies if you put it outside earlier than the end of May.

An old friend of mine started one from seed (inside) years ago. Seems I remember she soaked the seed inside for a considerable length of time (1-2 weeks) before it germinated, but don't quote me on that.

Search the pond and aquatic forum. I'm sure you will find the info there.

Is it the regular hardy lotus you are talking about?

I have had one in my pond for about 4 years now. It stays out all year long. I do have a small in-water heater that I use because my fish stay out all year long too and they need at least a small open hole at all times for exchange of gases.

I cut some off my lotus the year before last. I'm sure it is going to need trimming again by this spring. If you would like some, let me know. I never remember if it opens white and turns pink or opens pink and turns white. The flowers are larger than the common yellow lotus we see in many of our lakes. The lily pads vary in size, all the way from little 4-inchers all the way up to about 7 or 8 inches. It is a good idea to dead-head - both the blooms and the leaves - in order to keep the pond bottom as clean as possible.

If they are packed in wet, shredded paper, I dont think there would be any problem mailing them. Let me know. Carmellia

The flowers are larger than the common yellow lotus we see in many of our lakes.

I don't think we are on the same page here. I was talking about tropical lotus. But our native lotus is extremely rare in Minnesota, and is known to exist in perhaps two places in the state. Lotus leaves, hardy or tropical, are held above the water's surface, and the flowers 1-2 ft above the water. Water lily leaves float on the surface. The common yellow lotus you speak of, I think, is the yellow pond lily (Nuphar variegata). I couldn't tell you anything about it's culture.

You are right. That little yellow thing must be the pond lily because I've seen it often, and it is tiny.

My lotus is much larger than that and the lily pads are held flat on the water's surface. I'm sure it wouldn't be hardy in our lakes because it has to be no more than about 12-16 inches below the surface and would surely freeze out. But with my pond heater to keep and open area at all times and what ice there is can't measure mmore than an inch or so, it can survive (actually thrive) being left outside all year long.

It has the appearance of some of the more tender tropical lotus, but it does not have the scent of those very tender specimens. Wish I had a photo to post. It is beautiful. Carmellia

Hi! Sorry not to check back here sooner. I'm a regular on the pond forum, I was looking for the MN experience since lotus (not water lilies)are new to me. These dwarf/medium sized lotus are hardy to zone 4 provided their roots/tubers don't freeze solid. Apparently the are quite hardy, but the growing tips quite fragile when you're trying to plant them. Growing them from seed IS apparently a challenge. I'm planning to plant them in 1/2 whiskey barrels as my 2 ponds are small (300 and 275ga).

I neglected to specify when to ship when I ordered 2 lotus on-line and suddenly I am the proud parent of 2 big fat tubers with no where to go! The information I have gleaned so far is to store them in a bucket of pond water in a cool dark place for the next month, and then plant them in my barrels. I've found out that they can with stand light frost.

Winterizing is another whole qusetion, because my ponds are already full of submerged plants for the winter! I'm hoping to over-winter them in a friends root cellar :)

Click the link below to see what I hope to grow! I ordered Chawan Basu and Red Scarf Lotus in case you want to look them up. I can't wait to see how they turn out!

Thanks! Sarah

Here is a link that might be useful: Joyce's Lotus in a Barrel

Sarah,

I would definitely not put a new lotus out in your pond until your water warms up. If I get any new lotus I generaly put them in my pond the last week of May or even the first week in June.

Even though the lotus are hardy, the tubers don't do very well when they freeze and not at all if they are borderline hardy lotus. I have a stock tank heater in my watergarden that keeps the water open all winter. I do put the hardy lotus as the bottom level of my pond to ensure they do not freeze.

In addition I have a few Chinese varieties that are not that hardy and I overwinter them in a stock tank in my garage. I allow them to go dormant (no additional lighting) and they do just fine for me. I do keep the temperatures above freezing approx. 35 deg F.

I have also set my fridge to about 40 deg and placed some of my tubers in damp vermiculite or perelite in a zip lock bag in my fridge.

Good Luck!!!
Tj

Thanks for the info Tj! When do you raise your lotus up from the bottom? S

I start raising mine in the first week of May. In fact I will be cleaning my pond out within then next week and will probably raise all my plants at that time.