Growth The Blue Lotus, more commonly known as the Egyptian Lotus, is a rare waterborne plant that was cultivated by the Egyptians as early as 1400 B.C. It is distinguished from other types of lotus flowers by its ritual of daily ascension. Each morning this flower rises above the waters surface to bloom. After sunset, it folds its petals and again sinks below the surface. The Egyptian Lotus has sky-blue aromatic flowers and is generally found in up to 3 feet of shallow calm waters near the shores of lakes, streams, rivers, and ponds. It is a perennial with round, floating leaves and flowers that bloom in late summer. Thriving in areas with full sun, it is indigenous to regions with tropical and subtropical climates. It anchors itself to the mud beneath the waters surface using a thick tube like structure that spreads roots. Cultivation The rarity and resulting high cost of the Egyptian Lotus is due to an infrequent occurrence in nature and a lack of commercial cultivation. Commercial cultivation is unusual due to difficulties controlling the environment that the flower requires to thrive. Its' ideal environment is a shallow fresh water shore area. Unfortunately, shore areas by their nature, constantly change and shift. This leaves the flower as well as the grower vulnerable to the whims of nature. The problem of shifting shorelines has led to two common practices among growers of the Egyptian Lotus. First, growers tend to use different growing areas from season to season. Second, the flower tends to be wildcrafted, meaning that growers 'farm' in viable, usually isolated areas, which they do not own. Another issue in the cultivation of the Egyptian Lotus is the extended maturation period of the plant. It takes three to four years to evolve from a seed to a flowering plant that can be harvested. Harvesting is yet another unique challenge. Walking through the waters populated by the Egyptian Lotus disturbs their extensive, yet delicate, root systems anchored in the mud. To avoid this, harvesters will sometimes use small boats to reach the flowers. From the boat, they then pick the leaves by hand. If you have experience cultivating the Egyptian Lotus and would like to contribute information, it can be done here.

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