Lotus - production & trade

Lotus flowers are cultivated in ponds in South Asia as a food and for their flowers which are used for ornamental and religious offerings.

Cultivation and harvest

The plants are propagated by their seeds, or more commonly by their rhizomes. The rhizomes are cut into small pieces and are planted to allow a small portion to stick above the soil at the bottom of the pond. The rhizomes grow and shoot upwards to form new plants. They flower during the hot and rainy season. Flowers are cut for ornamental purposes. The edible rhizomes are ready for harvest in October.
A painting depicting an historical tank in India where lotus plants were cultivated.
Image: This painting shows a cultivation tank in India where lotus plants were once cultivated. Their flowers were used as ornamentals and their rhizomes were harvested as a food.