Everything About The National Flower Of India

Everything About The National Flower Of India - Lotus

Which is the national flower of India?

Any guesses? It is of course the beautiful lotus flower that floats beautifully in water and is known for its beautiful colours and texture. An aquatic perennial flower that grows on the surface of water bodies is closely associated with ancient culture, and two extant Asian religions namely Hinduism and Buddhism. This exotic flower is known all across the world and stands out from the rest of the flowers due to its cultural, religious and well as National significance. If you know not much about this unique and beautiful species of flowers, here is all you need to know about your National Flower that will also help you understand its importance in your own country, India.

Everything About The National Flower Of India

Significance Of Lotus Flower

In Hinduism, a lotus flower has a mythological significance for the Hindu deities, Vishnu and Lakshmi are usually depicted standing on a pink lotus flower and the goddess Saraswati tends to be depicted on a white-coloured lotus. Also, God Vishnu is also described as the “Lotus-Eyed One”. Signifying divine beauty that grows from the mud into a beautiful flower, a lotus flower also represents the purity of body, speech and mind in Buddhism. As the flower floats above muddy waters, it also represents attachment and desire hence a flower that is adored by one and all.

Best Climate And Water Conditions For Lotus Flower

A lotus flower tends to grow best in warmer climates however this does not mean that they cannot flourish in shady areas. However, in desert areas, it is preferable to cover these flowers in shade to avoid the scorching heat of the sun. A lotus flower is required to be kept at a temperature of at least 75 degrees Fahrenheit throughout summer for it to flourish in the best possible way. A lotus flower does best in about 18 inches or even deeper water. The flower is extremely adaptable to different water chemistries but you need to be wary of growing them in very hard and alkaline water that’s full of minerals. This is because they can accumulate the minerals in the water over time, thus harming the plant. If you are willing to grow lotus plants in a pot, it is advisable to flush out any hard water with fresh water to replace evaporation.

How To Grow A Lotus Flower

While it is unusual to grow a lotus flower at home, you can surely do so by following these easy steps:

Purchase the seeds of this flower from any local retailer.
Now place these seeds in a glass or a bowl of warm water. Remove seeds that float because they show infertility.
Notice the seeds for any roots emerging out of them and change the water daily.
When you notice roots, fill a small pot with loose garden loam and make an indentation in the top. Take these sprouted seeds and place them in the pot covering them lightly with garden loam.
Now place the pot containing the transplant in a container that holds two inches of water. Make sure that the water is warm and kept at a consistent two-inch depth.
Keep the container in a sunny spot so that the plant receives at least 8 hours of sunlight. Keep the plant in the same spot until it develops more roots and leaves.
Once the plant develops stronger roots and leaves transfer it to its final aquatic home.

Caring And Cultivation of Lotus Flower

Do not fertilise the lotus plant for the first year after it is planted.
You can fertilize an established lotus plant every 3 or 4 weeks to enhance its growth.
The plant’s roots must be kept from freezing.
Remember to cut off the plant’s yellow foliage in late fall and move the plant to the deepest part of the pond.

Uses Of Lotus Flower

As lotus flowers have the ability to remove polluting compounds and heavy metals from wastewater, these flowers are efficiently used for wastewater treatment.
These flowers are also ideal for use in protein bioengineering processes because they contain thermal-stable proteins characterized by seed longevity used for cell protection and repair under stress.
Lotus rhizomes, leaves, seeds and flowers are used in folk medicines, Ayurveda, Chinese traditional and oriental medicine.
Lotus leaves are used for treating hematemesis, epistaxis, and hematuria, while flowers are used for treating diarrhea, cholera, fever, and hyperdipsia.

Amazing Facts About Lotus Flower

Here are some unique as well as common facts about the lotus flower that is also the national flower of India.

Apart from being the national flower of India, Lotus is also the National Flower Of Vietnam. The pink coloured flower is the National symbol of both the countries.
Though a lotus flower is only approximately 49 inches in height, the flower can spread as long as 10 feet horizontally in water.
Believe it or not, but the seeds of a Lotus flower have an ability to germinate even after 1300 years of dormancy.
This beautiful flower blooms only in the morning and closes at night.
In Buddhism, a golden lotus is a symbol of complete enlightenment.
Lotus flowers contain air pockets to retain buoyancy on the surface of a body of water.
More than 740,000 acres of Chinese land is devoted to lotus cultivation, and lotuses are usually cultivated in a crop rotation system with rice and vegetables.
Many parts of a lotus flower are edible including the stems as well as the flower.

Being the National Flower Of India, here is almost everything about this flower that you need to know. Talking about flowers, if you feel like surprising your loved ones, you can give them amazing flower gifts that will always stay close to their heart.

national flower of India

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