The lotus
๐ In short
Lotus is the name for some beautiful water plants, the most famous being the Egyptian water lily that grows along the Nile. Its big round leaves float on the water, and its flowers are a wonderful white, blue or pink.
๐คฉ Did you know?
- A lotus flower can be 30 centimeters across.
- A water lily's stem is between 120 and 240 centimeters long.
- Some lotus seeds can sprout after hundreds of years.
- The sacred lotus is India's national flower.
๐ Find out more
๐ Floating on the water
A lotus grows from roots in the mud at the bottom of a pond or river, and its long stem reaches up to the surface, where its big round leaves float and its flowers open above the water.
๐ A symbol of ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptians loved the lotus flower, painting it on temple walls, carving it on columns and putting it in their kings' crowns.
๐ก A leaf that stays dry
A lotus leaf is covered in tiny bumps and a waxy layer, so when a drop of water lands on it, it rolls off like a ball and takes the dust with it, keeping the leaf always clean!
๐ฏ Opening with the sun
Some lotus flowers open in the morning and close in the evening, as if they wake up and go to sleep with the sun.
๐ธ More pictures
๐งฉ Test yourself
1 Where does the lotus grow?
2 Why does a lotus leaf stay clean?
3 A lotus flower can be ?? centimeters across.
4 Which picture shows โThe lotusโ?
๐ณ Discover more
๐ท Picture sources: Wikimedia Commons
- T.Voekler ยท CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alvesgaspar ยท CC BY-SA 3.0
- Anand2202 ยท CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fan Wen ยท CC BY-SA 4.0
