Lotus-lily

This can be a love-it-or-hate-it plant.  It is robust and can cover a large area.  Consider where you are going to plant it, and avoid planting in areas where it could take over a community pond.

While this plant meets the Florida Native Plant Society's definition of native (here when Europeans first arrived), the center of its range is the Mississippi River and its tributaries.  American Indians are known to have spread this plant given that it was a good, prolific food source once established.  They may have brought it to Florida.



Water plant.

Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.



Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Can be aggressive. This is not a plant for small places.

The seeds of this wildflower are consumed by the Canada Goose, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, and probably other waterfowl. (Illinois Wildfllowers).  Beaver (and likely other wetland mammals) will consume seeds and veegetative parts of the plant.

Ponds, lakes, rivers still or slow moving water in areas not subject to substantial wave action.

• Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
• The flowers are cross-pollinated by bees which collect pollen for their larvae.  Two bee species  that occur in Florida Lasioglossum nelumbonis and and Hylaeus nelumbonis, specialize in the pollen of the American lotus. Other visitors include flower flies (Syrphidae), shore flies (Ephydridae), and miscellaneous beetles. This latter group of floral visitors feed on pollen.  (Illinois Wildfllowers).