Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) - live bulb

A live blue lotus bulb, to plant and bring into flower at home. Nymphaea caerulea is a tropical water lily from North and East Africa, with a starry blue flower whose image runs through the entire iconography of ancient Egypt.

• A live bulb, ready to be planted
• Fast shipping and packaging suited to live plants
• Aquatic plant to grow in a pond, tub or tank

The blue lotus is a tropical water lily, and that is the point that decides everything. It needs genuinely warm water, around 20 to 25 °C, and full sun. Below 18 °C, it just ticks over without ever flowering.

Plant the bulb in an open-mesh basket filled with heavy soil, such as clay garden soil, never potting compost, which would float and cloud the water. Cover with a layer of gravel to hold the substrate in place, then submerge the basket so that there is 20 to 40 cm of water above the crown. The first leaves rise to the surface on their own.

In France, it is not hardy: it does not survive the winter outdoors. Lift the bulb before the frosts and store it frost-free, or bring the tub indoors. This is the main cause of failure with this species.

Do you need a pond to grow it?
No, a simple watertight tub is enough, provided it is deep enough and in full sun. Many successful plantings are done in tanks or half-barrels rather than ponds.

Is it frost-hardy?
No. It is a tropical species: in our climate, it must be overwintered protected from frost. This is the major difference from the hardy water lilies sold in garden centres.

How does it differ from the sacred lotus?
The sacred lotus is Nelumbo nucifera, from Asia, whose leaves rise out of the water. The blue lotus is a Nymphaea, a water lily whose leaves float on the surface. Two different botanical genera, often confused.

Do you also sell the dried flowers?
Yes, separately. Our whole dried flowers with stamens are available in 25 g, 100 g and 250 g.

Also worth exploring: our rare plants, our ritual plants and our seeds from around the world.