Reef’s lily ponds live up to their name with various types of lotus flowers including for this gorgeous pink Nelumbo nucifera.
Nelumbo nuciferais commonly called sacred lotus in reference to the sacred and symbolic status the flower holds in Buddhism and Hinduism.
It is native to Asia, including for Sri Lanka and also Australia. It is a large-flowered lotus that typically grows 3-6’ tall in shallow water and spreads by thickened rhizomes rooted in the mud.
Large, cupped, fragrant, pink or white flowers (8-12” diameter) appear in summer on stiff stems above the foliage.
Each flower blooms for about three days, opening in the morning and closing at night each day.
The rhizomes, leaves and seeds of lotus are edible and are sometimes used in Asian cooking