Harvesting Lotus Seeds for Our Pond

On a recent drive we came across a pond covered with lotus flowers.  I was surprised when the flower fades, they leave behind a pod. 

The pod is loaded with seeds, and they may look familiar.  

Back when I was a florist, we used them for making dried wreaths.  I liked applying the pods in their natural form where other designers would spray paint for a pop of color.  Either way they made a neat focal point.

So, Robert thought it would be fun to harvest a few and see if we could get the seeds to sprout. The idea was if we are successful, they will be planted at the edge or our ponds. 

We Bought a Couple Back

We brought a couple pods back with us and removed the seeds in a snap.  Then we place them in a jar of water for a week. 

The first batch floated which I assumed they were bad, the second batch went to the bottom of the jar and two weeks later no root formation.

They are supposed to sprout roots after sitting in water for about a week.  

So, I did some research and discovered some species can be sterile but if they are pollinated many lotus plants could yield successful seed pods.

The key word being, "could" so I am guessing we grabbed duds.
 

The Lotus Benefits

With little luck sprouting the seeds I did learn the lotus plants are beneficial for shallow pond water. They help regulate temperature, prevent algae and provide shade for the fish and whatever else enters our pond. 

The water lotus is known for its ability to attract pollinators in addition to enhancing the ponds ecosystem.  This would be an added blessing since our pond water appears a bit scummy this time of year.

Since it also tends to be very humid the lotus will have raindrops every morning.  We call them "dew drops" these drops will glide into the pond helping manage the water and overtime they can dramatically change the appearance of the water.

Since we have some shallow areas at the edge of both ponds, I think I am going to just take these seeds we have collected, plant them in the mud and see what happens.  If nothing happens then we will find a resource to buy them.  

In the meantime, harvesting lotus seeds was a fun activity.  We like to experiment with what we can collect and grow as we watch our land blossom into goodness.

Be the good,

Carole West