Digging deeperPlant Library

Lotus empress flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Red Russian Lotus

Description:

A stunning aquatic plant, perfect for medium or large ponds; large, intense reddish pink flowers with yellow centers are highly fragrant; attractive large round leaves ascend from the water; prefers full sun; quite easy to care for

Ornamental Features

Lotus empress features showy fragrant hot pink cup-shaped flowers with yellow eyes and red edges at the ends of the stems from early summer to late fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive large round leaves remain green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Lotus empress is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other garden plants with finer foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Lotus empress is ideally suited for growing in a pond, water garden or patio water container, and is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Water Gardens
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Lotus empress will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity extending to 4 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 6 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the water, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. As an aquatic plant, it requires a suitable water garden environment and will benefit from special planting and ongoing care practices; consult one of our in-store experts for further details and instructions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by multiplication of the underground bulbs; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Lotus empress is a fine choice for the water garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in outdoor pots and containers, aquatic plants like this one will require a special growing environment that meets their requirement for consistent moisture.