Nelumbo Nucifera 'Friend Red' Lotus
Best vibrant aquatic perennial for sun-loving pond and container gardeners.
The 'Friend Red' Lotus is a striking medium-sized aquatic plant, celebrated for its brilliant deep red petals and vibrant yellow centers. This heavy bloomer thrives in full sun, producing a profusion of flowers throughout the season. Its dancing flower form adds a dynamic visual element to any pond. As a perennial, it offers reliable beauty year after year. Supplied as a healthy bare root, this lotus is easy to grow and enhances garden atmospheres with its fragrant blooms, making it a captivating addition to outdoor water features.
$34.33
Owner Satisfaction
4.6
/ 5
Category Rank
408
/ 955
#408 in Aquatic Plants
Price vs Category Average
+85%
Above average
SKU
7771
Who it's for
- Gardeners seeking a bold, high-impact visual centerpiece
- Landscapers looking to add vertical drama to water features
- Pond owners wanting low-maintenance, recurring seasonal beauty
Who should skip it
- Owners of small ponds or limited container space
- Beginners intimidated by delicate, high-stakes planting requirements
- Gardeners in cold climates avoiding complex seasonal storage tasks
Performance breakdown
Bloom Frequency
Heavy blooming cycle ensures a consistent display of color all season.
Visual Impact
Deep red petals and unique dancing form create a striking focal point.
Ease of Cultivation
Straightforward care requirements make this accessible for novice pond enthusiasts.
Hardiness Range
Exceptional adaptability across zones four through eleven ensures reliable perennial growth.
Container Versatility
Well-suited for smaller water features despite its impressive mature height.
Fragrance Profile
Pleasant scent adds a sensory dimension to any outdoor water garden.
Key Specs
SKU
7771
Packaging
Bare Root
Hardiness Zones
4-11
Mature Height
Up to 4 feet (approx. 122 cm)
Container Size Recommendation
Minimum 15-17 inch diameter
Aquarium Placement
Floating
Growth Rate
Moderate
Plant Form
Floating Plant
Features
- Heavy bloomer with abundant deep red flowers
- Dancing flower form adds visual interest
- Suitable for container gardening
- Perennial for reliable annual blooms
- Fragrant flowers enhance garden atmosphere
- Easy to grow for pond enthusiasts
- Requires full sun for best performance
What customers say
The sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, centering on the exceptional quality of the plant upon arrival and its reliable, vigorous growth. Reviewers consistently highlight the careful packaging, ensuring the lotus establishes quickly in the pond environment. This ease of successful cultivation, coupled with the promise of vibrant red blooms, solidifies the plant's strong value for money among aquatic gardeners.
Know before you buy
Yes, this lotus is well-suited for container gardening. You will need a container with a minimum diameter of 15 to 17 inches to provide enough space for the rhizome to develop properly.
The 'Friend Red' Lotus requires high light and thrives in full sun. For the best performance and a profusion of blooms, ensure the plant receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.
It is considered easy to grow for most pond enthusiasts. Simply place the bare root rhizome in a heavy, aquatic-safe soil mix within your container, ensuring the growing tips are not buried too deeply, and submerge it in water.
This lotus is a hardy perennial suitable for zones 4 through 11. In colder regions, ensure the rhizome is kept below the pond's freeze line during winter to protect it for the following season.
The 'Friend Red' is a medium-sized lotus that typically reaches a mature height of up to 4 feet. Keep this in mind when selecting your pond or container placement to ensure it has adequate vertical space.
No CO2 is required for this lotus. While it is easy to maintain, it is a heavy bloomer, so using a dedicated aquatic plant fertilizer during the growing season will help support its vibrant flower production.
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Ask Hayley anything about this product before you decide.
Ready to buy?
$34