Is there a big different between water lilies and lotus?

Question

Both lotus and water lilies grow in water.They also kind of look the same.Is there a big different between them?

Answer 1

I found and copied this website for you about the differences between them.

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1599802.htm

Most gardeners are familiar with water lilies, from Monet’s paintings of the water lilies grown in his remarkable garden in Giverny. They're part of the western tradition of gardening but lotuses are entirely different. We're familiar with them from Chinese paintings.

Most people think of them as tropical plants, but in fact both water lilies and lotuses grow as far south as Victoria. They thrive in small garden ponds, pots and containers, and bring life to a water garden.
Geoff Cochrane has been growing aquatic plants on his property in the Yarra Valley outside Melbourne for the past five years. During that time, he and his partner have managed to collect and successfully cultivate some 150 varieties of water lilies and 200 varieties of lotuses from all over the world.

Geoff became interested in water lilies when he put some in the dam to improve its appearance. “I sourced as many water lilies as I could from around Australia, and then I tried a few lotus. Contrary to popular opinion, I found they grew well here.”

There are tropical lotus and cool temperate types as well. Most lotus that come from China are suited to the Victorian climate. There are also two type of water lilies - hardy, which come from cooler climates, and tropical types.

Geoff explains the difference between water lilies and lotuses. The leaves of the water lily sits on the water, but the lotus rises and its leaves sit up to four feet above the water.

Geoff says that in Eastern literature the lotus is a plant that grows out of the slimy mud- the still, putrid water – to produce the most beautiful flower. “It’s compared with life; that whatever your life circumstances, it’s possible for the most pure and beautiful thing to rise.”

Geoff claims there is no possibility of these plants becoming a weed threat. Water lilies will not survive in moving water, so they will not survive in creeks. And the water in Victorian creeks and rivers is too cold for lotus to survive, especially prior to Christmas, and they also need to be in still water.

Both types of plants have virtually the same cultural requirements. The most important thing is full sunlight - early in the morning till late evening and they both require heavy soil.

When potting the water lilies and lotuses Geoff recommends adding compost to the bottom of the pot, then a heavy topsoil. Put the plant in it, and add some pea gravel on top because it stops the dirt getting into the water.

Geoff suggests growing water lilies in a pond in a pot or a basket because that restricts the growth of the lily. To get the best out of the lotus, it's best to plant them in an earth bottom pond, because the more the lotus can run, the more it will flower.

The hardy water lilies start flowering in October, through to mid-April. The tropical water lilies, start a little later and finish flowering at the end of April.

A favourite water plant is Victoria amazonica. It comes from the Amazon Valley and was named in honour of Queen Victoria. The first person to get it to flower in Britain was Joseph Paxton, the great gardener at Chatsworth. He also used the leaf, with its incredible strength and its ridge and structural form, as the model for the Crystal Palace for the great exhibition of 1851, in Hyde Park. The leaves alone can grow to be about 1.8 metres across, so they are extraordinarily dramatic.

Geoff lists his favourite lotuses as: Nelumbo ‘Mrs Perry D. Slocum’ for showiness, because it has a wonderful warm pink beautiful flower. For the classic lotus shape go for a single pink called Nelumbo ‘Carolina Queen’. And for purity try the big white single lotus called Nelumbo ‘Cream Lutea’.

His favourite water lilies are Nyphaea ‘Joey Tomick’, which is a very bright yellow. Nyphaea ‘Malya’, which is an iridescent pink. And probably of the older types Nyphaea ‘Glorie du Temple-sur-Lot’, which has a large soft pink Chrysanthemum-type flower.

For Geoff it’s a passion. He wants the public to appreciate the beauty of lotuses, and water lilies.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

water lillies have their leaves on the surface of the water where lotus leaves will stick out above the water level. Lotus also need a bigger area of water to perform at thier best, where minature water lillies can grow and bloom in quite shallow water.

Answer 4

water lily is smaller than lotus lotus has big tunnel than lilly and the colours are different lotus's seeds dispose by air but liily' seeds only dispose by bees and fishes

Answer 5

lotus is tropical. Water lilies can be tropical but many are a cold weather plant.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

i dont know most likely one is refered to in a chinesse or japanesse or some of that type of culture while the other is refered to and is semed to be used more often on american standards.

Answer 8

Yes.

Answer 9

no