36 Different Types of Lotus Flowers (With Pictures)

The beautiful aquatic lotus plant is typically found in Australia and Southern Asia. However, a few species can be found in the United States. These plants are sensitive to drastic temperature fluctuations and require a stable, warm climate.

Aside from their significance in many world religions, lotus flowers are sought after for their gorgeous decoration of ponds, water gardens, and other water features. Not only that, they are edible and in some countries are used medicinally to treat inflammation and even prevent oral infections; read about that here

The 36 Types of Lotus Flowers

1. Alba Grandiflora Lotus

The Alba Grandiflora is a cultivated variety of the Nelumbo nucifera. Its attractive fragrant flower is generally pink. However, it can range in color from white to rose. Different sizes have been developed for use in regular ponds or flower gardens and smaller containers as an interior decoration.

2. American Lotus

The Nelumbo lutea, also known as the American lotus, is one of the few lotus plant varieties native to North America. As its Latin name hints, the flowers of this plant can be white to pale yellow. Sadly, this species has become endangered due to changing habitats. Fun fact for you: Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog wears a dress made from a yellow American lotus.

3. Carolina Queen Lotus

This beautiful large-petaled variation of the Nelumbo nucifera has exquisite rose-colored flowers, often with a faint hint of orange towards the center. Due to its average size of 4 to 6 feet tall, the Carolina Queen is best suited for medium to large ponds.

4. Dancing Phoenix Lotus

Another smaller member of the Nelumbo nucifera family is the Dancing Phoenix. It typically has long, white petals tipped with pink. This lotus is considered a dwarf plant, so they are best suited as decorative bowl plants, but they can still reach 1–2 feet tall with the right environment.

5. Debbie Gibson Lotus

Is that flower glowing!? No, that’s just the yellow-tinted petals of the Debbie Gibson lotus in the sun. Perry Slocum first hybridized this lotus in 1989. Once established, this free-flowering lotus will easily produce large flowers to fill a medium to large pond.

6. Empress Lotus

The Empress truly brings to mind royalty. This Chinese lotus commonly has soft white petals that extend out to delicate red or purple tips, and that same color in the tips usually streaks throughout the petal. The Empress is a remarkable work of Nature’s art.

7. Evening Shower Lotus

Like the Empress, the Evening Shower is commonly white with purple tips. However, the purple is not as pronounced and gives the petal a slight purple tinge and darkens towards the edges. As a dwarf plant, it is better suited for small tubs or ponds.

8. Feng Wu Lotus

One characteristic of the Feng Wu that makes it stand out is its stunning contrasting colors. It typically goes from a light yellow in the center to purple-tinted white petals and finishes in violet at the tips. It is a luscious blooming, medium-sized plant suited for medium pots or tubs or even as a pond plant.

9. Golden Monkey Lotus

This early-blooming lotus plant is bold and unique. It has long, slender petals that give it a unique bloom, and its pink tips stand out against the rest of its golden color. Growing to almost 2 feet on average, this is considered a medium to large lotus and can be expected to bloom faithfully.

10. Green Maiden Lotus

If you are looking for a delicate and pretty addition to your garden feature, the Green Maiden might be the dwarf lotus for you. The brilliant yellow receptacles are contrasted by the soft shades of yellow, pink, and green of the petals. One unique characteristic of this lotus is the subtle changes in color as it blooms.

11. Green Star Lotus

There is something elegant about the contrasting colors of the Green Star. Its green receptacle compliments the leaves below and contrasts with its soft white petals, making them stand out.

12. Gui Li Lotus (Magnificent Lotus)

The Gui Li truly lives up to its nickname — the Magnificent lotus — with its majestic red blooms. There is so much color in varying shades between golden receptacles and red petals; these flowers are sure to turn heads. If given enough space, they can grow to 4 feet or taller!

13. Heavy Storm Lotus

This unique flower features layers of petals. Larger petals form the base, and then layer after layer, they get smaller and curl upwards to form a “storm” of whites and pinks. This lotus is also massive, and if given enough space, it can grow upwards of 4–5 feet tall.

14. Ittenshikai Lotus

Compared to some of the other lotuses we are looking at, this one has a much more simple-looking flower. It features cupped white petals with pink edges. Its beauty is in its simplicity and pairs nicely with more exotic lotuses like the Magnificent or Carolina Queen.

15. Jin Se Lotus

The Jin Se is a prime example of how gorgeous a Versicolor lotus can be. Its golden center that fades out to a pink finish at the tips is a remarkable sight. Another distinct feature of this double flower lotus is its tight curly inner petals that almost give the appearance of a ball opening up.

16. Kermesina Lotus

Another lotus from the Nelumbo nucifera family, this sun-hungry flower has a simple yet elegant quality to it. Not only is it beautiful, but its bulbs and seeds are often used in Chinese cooking. This lotus will grow 3–6 feet above the water, so it is suited for a larger pond.

17. Lavender Lady Lotus

Another Perry Slocum hybrid, the beautiful Lavender Lady, towers above luscious greenery. Its pink petals have a subtle yellow hue as you look towards the golden receptacle. This lotus is generally 4 feet or taller when planted in adequate-sized containers.

18. Mini Chu Lady Lotus

Even though this lotus is considered a micro lotus, it’s still packed with elegance. Even though there is more involved with taking care of mico lotuses, the Mini Chu Lady flower is highly regarded by many lotus growers. It is considered to be a bountiful bloomer as well.

19. Momo Botan Lotus

The Momo Botan is not native to North America, but it was among the first variations brought from Asia. It is classified as a dwarf bowl lotus, which is made evident by its petite size and the characteristic bowl shape of its pink petals. This dainty plant is meant for wide shallow pots, as it only grows to 13 inches.

20.  Tower of Day and Night Lotus

Out of the many lotus flower variations that exist, the Tower of Day and Night lotus is one of the most fragrant. It has a unique shape, almost like a tall cylinder that has opened up, exposing many tiny pink or red petals.

21. Fairy of Peony Lotus

The Fairy of Peony is a new bowl lotus cultivar this year. It has grown quickly in its popularity among many growers. At first glance, the first thing that comes to mind is how similar it looks to a peony. Its white leaves gently fold upwards in a bowl shape, almost encasing the bulb-like, green receptacle.

22. White Fairy Lotus

Another micro lotus in our list that does not disappoint is the White Fairy. There is something about these tiny lotus flowers that packs so much allure. While not classified as a bowl lotus, this particular lotus has the characteristic upward curl of one. The White Fairy’s petals are primarily white, with a smattering of pink at the tips and yellow towards the center.

23. Taoxi Flying Snow Lotus

Just when you think that another plain, white lotus will be boring, you get to feast your eyes on the Taoxi Flying Snow. The unique design of this lotus, with its peaked white petals encasing a yellow receptacle, makes for a deep bowl-shaped flower. And the size of this lotus makes it the perfect addition to your small water feature.

24. Butterfly’s Love Lotus

Some things can just stand the test of time, and the Butterfly’s Love lotus is one of those things. This gorgeous yellow, white, and purple versicolor flower has been around for about 32 years and is still popular today. While this is not a bowl or micro lotus, it adapts very well to whatever container it is put in. For example, placing it in a small pot will cause it to only bloom with a tiny flower.

25. Brilliant Sunset Lotus

Versicolor lotuses are beautiful, but the Brilliant Sunset lotus takes it to a whole new level. With yellows, oranges, and pinks of varying shades, it indeed looks like a sunset painted on a beautiful white backdrop. And when the setting sun hits this flower, it explodes even more in fiery color.

26. Little Dancing Empress Lotus

This bowl lotus is one of a kind. Not only is it a gorgeous yellow and pink versicolor, but as it unfolds in its characteristic bowl shape, the tips of the double petals twist and shrivel at the tips. As the flower sways in a gentle breeze, it lives up to its name and appears to dance.

27. Raining Love Lotus

The Raining Love is a Versicolor lotus that is similar to the Brilliant Sunset lotus with pinks, yellows, and oranges, but it doesn’t have any white, so it looks different as the sun hits it. One thing that sets it apart is how big the flowers are—typically measuring 7½ inches—which is quite significant when considering the flower doesn’t even grow to 2 feet.

28. Big Versicolor Lotus

With a name like Big Versicolor, one would expect that not only is it big, but it is also bursting with color. This lotus does not disappoint on either level. Not only do its flowers measure 7 inches, but the double flowers are a mixture of red, purple, and green on a base of white and yellow. And if that wasn’t enough color, the buds themselves are streaked with the same colors.

29. Oriental Red Lotus

This relative of another red lotus, Magnificent, shares the same striking red coloration. It is such a dark red at the base that it almost appears black in the right lighting. Like its sibling, it too has proven to be a great grower, and it blooms abundantly. It would make a great addition to a large water feature that includes a lot of dark foliage.

30. Heart Blood Lotus

Another small bowl lotus with a big presence is the Heart Blood lotus. The flower is 3–4 inches and is suited for growing in a small container as a table decoration. One unique characteristic of the Heart Blood is how it changes. As it reflowers, it comes back different—sometimes it is its traditional bowl shape, and other times it’s a different shape entirely.

31. Midnight Lotus

Depending on how the light hits the Midnight Lotus, it can be a dark red or purple. It also has a unique-shaped, orange receptacle. But the most remarkable trait of this double petal lotus is the fact that each flower can have up to 112 petals!

32. Pink Marshmallow Lotus

Though it might look good to eat—like a strawberry-flavored marshmallow—just wait a couple of days. While this beautiful flower starts off looking like a strawberry treat, it transforms into an exquisite white flower with pink tips within 3 days. During the summer months, this lotus blooms in overdrive, often 2 or 3 flowers are blooming at a time.

33. Misty Rain Lotus

While many micro lotuses can be challenging to grow, the Misty Rain is beginner-friendly. This lotus will only produce one pink flower per tuber due to how small they are. If you are looking for a classic lotus, this is the one. Keep in mind, even though this is an easy lotus to grow, it does require full sun, so it won’t be a lotus to enjoy indoors.

34. Pink Apricot Lotus

Even if towering over the pond and other lotuses at 62–70 inches didn’t stand out enough, the long, striated petals of the Pink Apricot will catch eyes and turn heads all day long. It doesn’t have to be a prominent water feature; this lotus will bloom well in an appropriate container in your outdoor living space.

35. Drunken Hibiscus Lotus

If one were to describe a flower as beauty in chaos, the Drunken Hibiscus would fit the bill. This brilliant Versicolor lotus has hues yellow and white throughout the petal, and then each petal tip is dipped in pink. This lotus shines, especially when it is grown in a bowl.

36. Single Colorful Brocade Lotus

The unique petals on the Single Colorful Brocade cause it to stand out in a category of flowers where many look almost identical. While it has traditional colored yellow and pink petals, this lotus has the most incredible flat petals that sweep out and up as it opens to soak up the sun.

Related Read: 43 Common Types of Flowers in the US (with Pictures)

Lotus Plants Are Worth The Effort

It is tempting to think that the lotus flower is limited to what we see in movies or TV. But after only a few minutes of browsing, it becomes apparent that the options for lotus shapes, colors, and sizes are almost endless. Even if we live somewhere that is not an appropriate climate for a lotus pond in the backyard; there are still options such as hardier cultivars or indoor greenhouse water gardens.

Few things in life compare to the breath-taking beauty of flowers, the sights, and the smells. So go on. Take a moment. Breathe deep. Just don’t fall in the pond.

Featured Image Credit: Pixabay