Freshwater
Sacred lotus
Nelumbo nucifera
Nelumbonaceae
Facts
Care
We have no care for this plant yet. If you know how it thrives, you can suggest it.
Range
NativeIntroduced
Lives wild in Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, China Southeast, East Himalaya, India, Indonesia, and 17 more countries.
Introduced to Benin, Cook Islands, Cuba, Gabon, Italy, Leeward Is., Puerto Rico, Romania, and 4 more countries.
Videos
Snorkelling a Suspiciously Clear Rice Field | Exploring Eastern Thailand EP2
Rodrigo SilvaJul 24, 2026
More about the species
Description
Nelumbo nucifera, also known as Padma (Sanskrit: पद्म, romanized: Padma, lit. 'Lotus') or Kamala (Sanskrit: कमल, lit. 'Lotus'), sacred lotus, pink lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called water lily, though this more often refers to members of the family Nymphaeaceae. The lotus belongs in the order Proteales.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Nelumbium album
- Nelumbium asiaticum
- Nelumbium caspium
- Nelumbium indicum
- Nelumbium javanicum
- Nelumbium nelumbo
In other languages
- Lotusrot
- Indisk lotus
- Intianlootus
Articles
All articles
How to set up an Asian aquarium5 min read
Two aquariums from Southeast Asia: calm forest streams and peat swamps with soft, brown water, and fast mountain streams with cool, oxygen-rich water.
How to set up an aquarium from Australia and New Guinea4 min read
The home of rainbowfish: water, substrate, plants and light for rainbowfish, blue-eyes and peacock gudgeons, with a long aquarium and open water in the middle.
How to care for aquarium plants3 min read
Light, nutrients and CO₂ in balance, low tech versus high tech, and how to read from the leaves what your plants are missing.