User:Beanofindia

'''Bean of India ''' The Lotus also called Indian lotus, sacred lotus, or, my personal favorite, the bean of India this plant, commonly confused with the water lily, is native to the tropical regions of Asia and Queensland, Australia lotus are aquatic plants their roots reside in the soil of the pond or river in which they live while the leaves and blooms float at the surface of the water it’s a perennial, meaning that it is capable of living for more than two years a lotus can even live on long after it’s dead their seeds remain viable for years after the flower dies away the oldest reported lotus germination was in a northeastern area of China in 1994 and the seed was determined to be 1300 years old! lotus flowers are also incredible in that they are able to regulate their own temperature much like us warm blooded creatures are able to regulate ours even when air temperatures drop by twenty degrees celsius, the flowers still stay within their thirty to thirty five degree range the lotus and all its parts have more than just scientific significance the flowers, seeds, leaves, and roots are all edible and actually quite high in nutritional content the leaves are often used to wrap food, more as a packaging agent than for consumptive purposes the flowers are used in an herbal tea called tisane roots can be stir fried or pickled or even eaten raw seeds can be dried and popped like popcorn or made into a paste that is a common ingredient in mooncakes lotus flowers also have a high degree of cultural and religious significance Hindu goddesses Vishnu and Lakshmi are often depicted with these flowers, as the unfolding blooms are thought to signify the expansion of the soul the flower also represents the concept of spiritual promise this beautiful flower growing from the muddy depths of a river signifies hope The lotus flower’s influence is far reaching, touching both science and spirituality simultaneously. That is an impressive feat for one plant.