Nelumbo Nucifera 'Little Red Missing' Lotus
Best vibrant aquatic plant for pond owners seeking early-season color.
Enhance your outdoor pond with the 'Little Red Missing' Lotus, a stunning Nelumbo Nucifera variety. This early-blooming plant offers vibrant light to bright-red, single-petaled blooms with golden centers, providing extended color throughout the season. Supplied as a bare root, it's ready for planting in USDA hardiness zones 4-11. Orders ship Monday through Wednesday to ensure healthy arrival, making it a perfect addition to your water garden.
$38.19
Owner Satisfaction
4.7
/ 5
Category Rank
3
/ 955
#3 in Aquatic Plants
Price vs Category Average
+106%
Above average
SKU
7770
Who it's for
- Urban gardeners with limited patio or balcony space
- Designers seeking a vibrant, dramatic focal point for water features
- Pond owners wanting consistent, low-maintenance seasonal blooms
Who should skip it
- Gardeners with shaded yards or limited direct sunlight
- Residents in cold climates lacking indoor winter storage space
- Beginners intimidated by messy, specialized aquatic soil requirements
Performance breakdown
Bloom Longevity
Early-blooming cycle provides consistent color throughout the entire pond season.
Hardiness Range
Exceptional versatility across USDA zones four through eleven.
Visual Impact
Vibrant red petals and golden centers create a striking focal point.
Maintenance Effort
Moderate care requirements demand attention to pond health and rhizome stability.
Planting Readiness
Bare root delivery ensures the plant is primed for immediate establishment.
System Compatibility
Thrives in outdoor ponds without the need for supplemental CO2 injection.
Key Specs
SKU
7770
Hardiness Zones
4-11
Packaging Type
Bare Root
Aquarium Placement
Floating
Plant Form
Floating Plant
Substrate Requirement
Floating
CO2 Requirement
No CO2 Required
Propagation Method
Rhizome Division
Features
- Early-blooming for extended color
- Stunning light to bright-red blooms
- Suitable for outdoor ponds
- Supplied as a bare root
- Moderate care level
- Grows as a floating plant
- Requires no CO2
What customers say
Customers consistently praise the exceptional quality and health of the 'Little Red Missing' lotus tubers upon arrival. Reviewers frequently mention the plants are robust and well packaged, leading to successful and easy establishment in their ponds. The high viability minimizes planting difficulty, making this variety a favorite for both novice and experienced water gardeners. This reliable performance justifies the price point, confirming strong value.
Know before you buy
You will need to plant the rhizome in a wide, shallow container filled with heavy garden soil or aquatic planting media. Ensure the growing tips are not buried too deeply and place the container in your pond at a depth where the leaves can reach the surface.
Yes, lotus are heavy feeders. Once the plant has established a few floating leaves, use a high-quality aquatic fertilizer tablet pushed into the soil near the roots to support its vibrant, early-season blooms.
The 'Little Red Missing' is hardy in zones 4-11. In colder regions, ensure the rhizome is placed deep enough in the pond so that it remains below the ice line during winter, or move the container to a frost-free area.
While it is categorized as a floating plant, it must be planted in a container that sits on the bottom of your pond. The leaves and flowers will then float on the surface, but the root system requires the stability of a soil-filled pot.
For optimal blooming, this variety requires at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. If placed in a shaded area, the plant may produce foliage but will likely struggle to produce its signature red flowers.
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Ready to buy?
$38