Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday,
On several occasions, we have visited the Allerton Garden of the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai, Hawaii. The gorgeous sacred lotus (nelumbo nucifera) in varying stages of bloom and decay always is a highlight.
The sacred lotus is the national flower of India and Vietnam and very important to the cultures of India, South East Asia, Japan and China. It is fascinating that the sacred lotus is thermoregulatory -- that is, the lotus maintains a temperature of 86 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit even when air temperatures drop to 50 degrees. Botanists studying this phenomenon have speculated that the warmer temperature encourages insects to remain in the flower longer to increase the odds for successful pollination. Thus, the propagation and survival of the sacred lotus over the centuries may be directly attributable to the plant's development of thermogenesis. For more information click here.
4 comments:
These photos are gorgeous! I am considering jumping from a point and shoot Exilim to something a step up and your pictures are really an inspiration!
How interesting. I had no idea that there was such a thing as thermoregulatory plants. One more thing to learn about! I'll have to follow your link after I'm finished here. Your photos are just beautiful.
Aiyana
I'm astonished. Every picture seems to be taken from other galaxy. Really amazing!
Yay! I took a photo of one of these are our State Fair, but wasn't sure what it was. Now I know! Thanks!
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