Ice Begonia: Aquatic Elegance and Care

The Ice Begonia is a perennial aquatic herb, which is a variant of the lotus flower. This variant has upright, dark green foliage that is dense, standing at a height of 28cm and with a diameter of 25x28cm.

The flower stalk stands 32cm high with the diameter of the flower being 10cm. The flowers have double petals, with about 90 petals in a bowl-shaped formation. The flowers are yellow, with green inner petals.

The blooming period starts in early June, with particularly dense flowering, each pot can bear up to 10 flowers, and the flowering period is quite long.

I. Growth and Distribution

The plant is cultivated in ponds or paddy fields. It is an aquatic plant that prefers relatively stable calm shallow water, lakes, marshes, and ponds, which are its suitable habitats.

The water requirement of the lotus depends on its variety, with large plant varieties requiring deeper water levels, but not exceeding 1.7 meters. Medium and small plant varieties are suitable for water depths of 20-60 cm.

Lotus flowers are very sensitive to dehydration, in the summer, just 3 hours without watering, the leaves of the lotus planted in the water tank will wilt. If water is stopped for a day, the edges of the lotus leaves will be scorched, and the flower buds will shrink.

Lotus flowers also love light, requiring full-light environments during the growing period. Lotus flowers are extremely intolerant of shade, and will demonstrate strong phototropism when grown in semi-shade.

II. Morphology and Characteristics

This perennial aquatic herb has a horizontally growing rhizome that is thick with swollen internodes, containing numerous longitudinal air channels. The node part is constricted, giving rise to black scale leaves above, and indefinite roots below.

The leaves are circular, shield-shaped, with a diameter of 25-90 cm, the margin slightly wavy, the upper surface smooth, covered with white powder, the lower surface has veins radiating from the center, with 1-2 times forked branching; the leaf stalk is robust, cylindrical, 1-2 meters long, hollow, with small thorns scattered on the outside.

The flower stalk is as long as or slightly longer than the leaf stalk, also scattered with small thorns; the flower diameter is 10-20 cm, beautiful, fragrant.

The petals are red, pink or white, rectangular or oval to inverted egg-shaped, 5-10 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, gradually smaller from outside to inside, sometimes becoming stamens, the tip round or slightly pointed.

Anthers are linear, filaments are slender, attached below the flower base; the pistil is extremely short, with the stigma at the top; the flower base (lotus room) diameter is 5-10 cm.

The nuts are elliptical or egg-shaped, 1.8-2.5 cm long, the fruit skin is leathery, hard, turning black-brown when ripe; the seeds (lotus seeds) are egg-shaped or elliptical, 1.2-1.7 cm long, the seed coat is red or white.

The flowering period is from June to August, and the fruiting period is from August to October.

This variant was introduced from the Wuhan Institute of Botany, China in April 2001 and is small in size. The upright leaves are dark green and dense, standing 28cm high with a diameter of 25x28cm.

The flower stalk is 32cm high and the flower diameter is 10cm. The flowers have double petals, with about 90 petals. The flowers are bowl-shaped. The flower buds are green, round peach-shaped. The flowers are yellow, with green inner petals.

Some of the stamens are petal-like, and the pistils are normal. The yellow flowers appear more elegant and charming against the backdrop of the dark green leaves.

The blooming period starts in early June, with particularly dense flowering, each pot can bear up to 10 flowers, and the flowering period is quite long.

III. Cultivation Method

Water and Fertilizer Management

The lotus is an aquatic plant that cannot survive without water during its growth period. In the early growth stage, the water level should be maintained at about three centimeters, as too much water is not conducive to increasing soil temperature.

If you use tap water, it’s best to let it sit in a separate container for one or two days before use. Summer is the peak growth period for lotus, and it’s essential to ensure that the pot does not run out of water.

After winter comes, the soil in the pot should also be kept moist to prevent the lotus root from drying out due to lack of water.

The primary nutrients for lotus are phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, supplemented with nitrogen fertilizer. If the soil is fertile, it might not require fertilizing throughout the year. Matured cake fertilizer, chicken, duck, and goose dung are ideal fertilizers.

For small pots, half an ounce is enough, and for large pots, you can apply up to one to two ounces. Avoid over-fertilizing and ensure it is fully mixed with the mud.

If you notice the leaves turning yellow and weak during the peak growth period, you can mix half a gram of urea in the mud to form a small ball of about 10 grams and apply one per pot in the center of the mud. You will see the effect in 7 days.

Winter Management

After winter, you can move the pot indoors or bury it under the frozen soil layer. In the regions north of the Yellow River, it’s necessary to cover it with agricultural film in addition to burying it under the frozen soil layer, and the soil in the pot should be kept moist throughout the winter.

IV. Reproduction Method

Seed Reproduction

First, you need to break the shell. From May to June, grind the concave end of the seed on a concrete ground or rough stone, then soak and germinate the seed. Keep the water clean and change it frequently.

In about a week, the sprouts will emerge, and after two weeks, you can transplant the seedling. Each pot should have one plant, and the water level should be shallow so as not to submerge the lotus leaves.

About 90% of them can bloom in the same year, but the number of flowers in the first year is not many.

Rhizome Division Reproduction

The best time to turn the pot and plant lotus is from mid-March to mid-April. Planting too early can be influenced by cold currents, causing the lotus roots to get frost damage.

In northern regions, you can cover the plants with transparent agricultural film when there is a cold current. Before planting, mix the pot mud into a paste. When planting, insert the top end of the lotus root at a 20-degree angle along the edge of the pot into the mud.

For small lotus, it should be about 5 centimeters deep, and for large lotus, about 10 centimeters deep, with the head low and tail high. Half of the tail should be lifted to prevent water from entering the root end.

After planting, place the pot under the sunlight to let the surface soil slightly crack, helping the lotus root bond completely with the mud. Then add a small amount of water.

When the bud grows out, gradually increase the water level, and finally maintain a 3-5 centimeter water layer. Just like potted lotus, the early water level for pond planting should not submerge the lotus leaves.

V. Value and Others

Medicinal Diet

Lotus root is one of the best vegetables and candied fruits. The food culture of lotus is rich and colorful, including traditional lotus seed porridge, lotus room preserves, lotus seed powder, lotus slice stuffed meat, lotus leaf steamed meat, lotus leaf porridge, etc.

Leaves can be used as a substitute for tea and also as packing material.

Decoration

Lotus has a strong adaptability to its growing environment. It can bloom beautifully not only in large and small lakes and ponds but also in tiny pots, decorating the environment. Cultivated varieties are often used in the form of potted lotus for viewing in parks and courtyards.