India lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) care guide

Group
Plants
Other names
Sacred lotus, Indian lotus, Pink lotus, Lotus, Padma, Kamala, Nelumbium speciosum, Nymphaea nelumbo
Family
Nelumbonaceae (lotus family)
Origin
East Asia, northern Indochina and central and northern India; spread by people to Southeast Asia, New Guinea and northern Australia
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
200 cm
Temperature
23–30°C
Care level
expert
Lighting
Full sun; very high light (outdoor pond or very large planter)
Flow
Still water

Care

The sacred or Indian lotus is a large perennial water plant of slow rivers, floodplains and deltas. It is not a water lily, though it looks similar: its round, wax-coated leaves (up to about 1 m across) and pink or white flowers (up to 35 cm) are usually held well above the water on stalks up to 2 m long. This is a pond plant, not an aquarium plant. It needs full sun, a large container of rich loamy mud and shallow water (roughly 30 cm to 2.5 m over the crown). Plant rhizome pieces with at least one growing eye about 10–15 cm deep. The rhizome can spread many metres in a season in open ground, so containers are wise. Small bowl-lotus cultivars only 5–8 cm tall exist for patios. It needs warm summers: seed germinates above about 13 °C and plants want daytime temperatures of about 23–27 °C in the growing season. Many forms survive winter outdoors as long as the rhizome stays below the ice. The temperature range given is the growing-season range from Wikipedia; pH is not given in the sources. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelumbonucifera); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.

Breeding

Divide the rhizome in spring, keeping at least one eye on each piece, and plant it in rich mud. Seeds are very long-lived (one over 1,000 years old has germinated); nick the hard coat and soak in warm water to sprout them.

Compatibility and tank mates

Not for indoor aquaria: it outgrows any tank and needs strong sunlight. In ponds it is generally left alone by fish, though koi may disturb young shoots and the planting medium. Use a sturdy container.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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