Explore the Elegant Mrs. Bly – Mrs. Perry D. Slocum Lotus

Mrs. Perry D. Slocum, also known as Mrs. Bly, is a perennial aquatic herb and one of the most valuable varieties of lotus. This variety has a very large flower, with a diameter of up to 27 cm, and the color of the flower disk changes from the initial orange-pink to pink, and then yellow on the third day, with a slight pink tip.

It starts blooming in early June and the flowers are densely set. Its elegant and noble flower shape and its unique and variable flower color make it the focus of attention. It was introduced from the United States in 2001 and is a cultivated variety, mainly used for viewing in parks and courtyards.

Morphology and Features

Perennial aquatic herb; the root rhizome is horizontally grown, thick, with swollen internodes, with many longitudinal air channels inside, and constricted nodes. It has black scale leaves on the top and indeterminate roots on the bottom.

The leaf is round, shield-shaped, 25-90 cm in diameter, slightly wavy along the edge, smooth on the top, with white powder, and the leaf veins spread out from the center, with 1-2 forked branches; the leaf stalk is thick, cylindrical, 1-2 meters long, hollow, with small thorns scattered on the outside.

The flower stalk is as long 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, rectangularly oval to ovate, 5-10 cm long, 3-5 cm wide, gradually smaller from the outside in, sometimes turning into stamens, the tip is round or slightly pointed; the anthers are bar-shaped, the filaments are slender, and grow under the flower holder; the style is very short, the stigma is apical; the flower holder (lotus room) is 5-10 cm in diameter.

The nut is oval or ovate, 1.8-2.5 cm long, the fruit skin is leathery, hard, dark brown when ripe; the seed (lotus seed) is ovate or oval, 1.2-1.7 cm long, the seed skin is red or white. The flowering period is from June to August, and the fruiting period is from August to October.

This variety was introduced from the United States in April 2001. It is large. The upright leaves are yellow-green, and the petioles are dark green, lush, 44 cm high, and 43×49 cm in diameter. The flower stalk is 72 cm high, and the flower diameter is 27 cm.

The flowers are double-petalled, with 70 petals. The flower shape is bowl-shaped. The flower bud is peach-shaped, orange-pink. The flower changes from orange-pink to pink, with a yellow base, and then yellow on the third day, with a slight pink tip.

There are a few stamens that are petal-like, and the pistils are normal. Its elegant and noble flower shape, and its unique and variable flower color make it the focus of attention. It starts blooming in early June, and the flowers are densely set.

Habits

It is cultivated in ponds or paddy fields. It is an aquatic plant, and prefers relatively stable calm shallow water, lakes, marshes, and ponds, which are its suitable habitats. The water requirement of the lotus is determined by its variety.

The large plant varieties have a relatively deep water level, but it cannot exceed 1.7 meters. Medium and small plant shapes are only suitable for water depths of 20-60 cm. At the same time, the lotus is very sensitive to water loss.

In summer, as long as water is not poured for 3 hours, the leaves of the lotus planted in the water tank will wilt, and if the water is stopped for a day, the edges of the lotus leaves will be scorched, and the flower buds will shrink back.

The lotus also loves light very much, and needs a full light environment during the growing period. The lotus is extremely intolerant to shade, and will show a strong phototropism when growing in a semi-shaded place.

Cultivation Method

Seed propagation

First, you need to break the shell. From May to June, grind the concave end of the seed on a cement ground or a rough stone, soak the seed to grow seedlings.

Keep the water clear, change the water frequently, sprout in about a week, take root and transplant in two weeks, trim one plant per pot, the water layer should be shallow, and the lotus leaves cannot be drowned in the water. About 90% can bloom in the same year, but there are not many flowers that year.

Rhizome propagation

The best time for turning pots and planting rhizomes is from mid-March to mid-April. If planted too early, it will be affected by the cold flow, and the rhizomes are prone to frost damage.

In northern areas, transparent agricultural film can be used for covering when a cold wave is encountered. Before planting, the pot soil should be mixed into a paste. When planting, the top of the rhizome is inserted into the soil at a 20-degree angle along the edge of the pot.

The bowl lotus is about 5 cm deep. The large lotus is about 10 cm deep, with the head low and the tail high. The tail is half raised to prevent the rhizome tail from entering the water. After planting, place the pot in the sun to dry, so that the surface soil appears micro-cracks, which is beneficial for the rhizome to fully adhere to the soil, and then add a small amount of water.

After the sprouts grow, gradually deepen the water level and finally maintain a 3-5 cm water layer. The water layer in the early stage of pond planting is the same as that of pot lotus, and the later stage should not drown the lotus leaves.

Propagation Method

Seed propagation

First, you need to break the shell. From May to June, grind the concave end of the seed on a cement ground or a rough stone, soak the seed to grow seedlings.

Keep the water clear, change the water frequently, sprout in about a week, take root and transplant in two weeks, trim one plant per pot, the water layer should be shallow, and the lotus leaves cannot be drowned in the water. About 90% can bloom in the same year, but there are not many flowers that year.

Rhizome propagation

The best time for turning pots and planting rhizomes is from mid-March to mid-April. If planted too early, it will be affected by the cold flow, and the rhizomes are prone to frost damage. In northern areas, transparent agricultural film can be used for covering when a cold wave is encountered.

Before planting, the pot soil should be mixed into a paste. When planting, the top of the rhizome is inserted into the soil at a 20-degree angle along the edge of the pot. The bowl lotus is about 5 cm deep. The large lotus is about 10 cm deep, with the head low and the tail high.

The tail is half raised to prevent the rhizome tail from entering the water. After planting, place the pot in the sun to dry, so that the surface soil appears micro-cracks, which is beneficial for the rhizome to fully adhere to the soil, and then add a small amount of water.

After the sprouts grow, gradually deepen the water level and finally maintain a 3-5 cm water layer. The water layer in the early stage of pond planting is the same as that of pot lotus, and the later stage should not drown the lotus leaves.

Value and Other

Lotus root is the best vegetable and candied fruit. Lotus leaves, lotus flowers, and lotus stamens are also medicinal food that the Chinese people love.

The lotus food culture is rich and colorful, with traditional lotus seed porridge, lotus room candy, lotus seed powder, lotus slice sandwich meat, lotus leaf steamed meat, lotus leaf porridge, etc. The leaves are used as a substitute for tea and as a packaging material.

The lotus has a strong adaptability to the growth environment. Not only can it spit red and sway in large and small lakes and ponds, but it can also be elegant and decorate the environment even in very small pots and bowls. Artificially cultivated varieties are often used in the form of pot lotus for viewing in parks and courtyards.