Can you believe these spectacular lotuses are hardy in Chicago!
They have huge leaves (note the lily leaves at
left for comparison) and grow five to six feet
above the water. When the petals fall, the
center remains to grow larger and turn into
a brown “cardboard” seed pod by end of season.
Large seeds develop and eventually fall out of
the spent pod, leaving the holes you see in
them as they are commonly used in fall
and winter floral arrangements.
