Colorful Lantern of Qinhuai - Mini Lotus

Colorful Lantern in Qinhuai is the perfect little lotus to shine on your patio this summer! It will grow well in a small pot and is a prolific bloomer. It also produces viable seeds which is a bit unusual for a miniature variety and we have found these seeds to produce lovely hybrids.

Flower Color: Soft Red
Plant Height: Bowl, up 13” tall
Flower Type: Few-petal, less than 25 petals
Pot Size: 10” and wider, 4”-10” deep

Planting instructions

Plant in large sized, wide, shallow container using heavy loam soil while keeping the growth tips exposed. 
Add an inch or two of water above the soil and place in full sun. Always replace water that has evaporated. 
Soon coin leaves will appear on the surface of the water. 
DO NOT fertilize until you have aerial leaves growing out of the water. Keep two to three inches of water above an established plant. 

Fertilize on the 1st and 15th of every month during growing season. We recommend and sell WaterlilyWorld Fertilizer for best bloom and optimum growth! Get robust plants and the best blooms!  June through September. 

Increase blooms by using fish, safe, aquatic fertilizer after aerial leaves have formed on your lotus plants.

What Is Loam Soil?

Loam soil is a good mixture of Topsoil and Sand

If you are lucky enough to have good topsoil in your backyard, by all means, use your topsoil. All you will have to do is add fertilizer. If you are not so lucky--and your backyard is sand or heavy red or yellow clay, you can mix up a batch of loam soil.

 You can create your own loam soil by mixing these two ingredients together

• 2/3  Inorganic Topsoil (Little or no organic material added)
• 1/3  Pool Filter Sand

 Mix together thoroughly with a little water. Your soil should clump when squeezed. If your soil is mixed properly, it will not muddy your pond water.

You can purchase inexpensive bags of inexpensive / poor Topsoil at Lowes or Home-Depot. Good soil clumps together as a ball in your hand with only a little moisture. 

Don't buy brands like Scott's or Miracle-Gro, as they will contain too much organic matter that can foul your water. Buy an unbranded bag of topsoil instead.

You can purchase Pool Filter Sand at any store that sells pool supplies.

Loam soil is well suited for all aquatic plants (except oxygenators). Oxygenators rarely need to be planted, just anchored in the substrate or in a container filled with sand or 1/8  inch pea gravel.

Sand holds little water but does allow for aeration and drainage.

Some DO's and DON'TS regarding Aquatic Planting Soil  

DO NOT use regular potting soils, they are too light and will float right out of the pot. Potting Soil may have too much organic material that can rot and spoil your water!

DO NOT add too much composted material - it can be too rich in organic matter and it could ferment under water and destroy the ecology of your pond.

DO NOT use 100% calcined clay as there is no nutritional value in calcined clay.

DO NOT add large rocks, stones or pebbles to the top of your planting container as this will inhibit the growth of your plants. Plants do not grow in rocks and stones in nature!

DO NOT purchase API Aquatic Planting Media or Microbe-lift Aquatic Planting Media as these products are NOT suitable for waterlilies, lotus or most other pond plants. They are suitable for submerged grasses ONLY!