Red Tiger Lotus

Be Careful, Those Plants Get A Taste For Blood, Well…

Hi,

The Red or Green Lotus, Nymphaea lotus (zenkeri) is perhaps my favorite plant, real multi-taskers.

The description you cite is the Tropica description http://www.tropica.com/productcard_1.asp?id=019.

The plant has two distinct forms the submerged and the floating leaf form.

To keep the plant submerged requires trimming any floating leaf or any leaf that is heading for the surface. Also trimming any exposed root (see the Tropica drawing). The bulb sits mostly exposed. Some plants require a lot of work to keep submerged, others a little trimming and they sit nicely for months. Higher light levels help maintain the submerged plant. I have found this is a very competitive plant and keeping other plants clear is helpful. :gw

I use these plants to reduce the light to control growth and to protect the low light plants and critters.

Nymphaea lotus (zenkeri) like enriched substrates, worm poop and Osmocote Plus seem to work well along with EI dosing and a little high on the potassium. To encourage flowering I find raising the potassium and phosphate is helpful. The seeds will germinate (after the flower has wilted).

Biollante