The lotus family in the class of dicotyledonous flowering plants is represented by only one genus lotus ( Nelumbo), including two types: Nut lotus (N. nucifera) And lotus yellow (N.lutea). These species differ from each other not only in the color of the flowers (the nut lotus has pink flowers, and the yellow lotus, as its name suggests, has yellow flowers), but also their geographical distribution. Nut lotus is a native of the Old World. It was he who was worshiped by the ancient Hindus and Egyptians, and Homeric lotophages fed on its fruits. The yellow lotus, discovered after Columbus's voyage, grows on the Atlantic coast of America and the islands of the Caribbean.

Lotus, as a rule, grows in hot tropical climates in low-flowing bodies of water - in wetlands, lakes and slow-flowing rivers. It is interesting that in dry years, the lotus, along with other amphibious plants, often ends up on land, but continues to grow and develop normally. In India, in the Kashmir Valley, lotus grows at an altitude of up to 1560 m above sea level. This is the greatest height to which it rises.

Modern distribution (a) and fossil finds (b) of the lotus

Nut-bearing lotus is a rare relict genus. Fossil finds indicate that these plants appeared at the end of the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era, were widespread in the Tertiary period, especially in the Paleogene, and sharply reduced their distribution area in the Quaternary period. It is known that cultivation played a major role in the spread of the nut-bearing lotus in Southeast and South Asia, for example in India. Currently, all places where lotus grows in India are associated exclusively with settlements or archaeological sites. There is an opinion that, if not human intervention, who cultivated the lotus, this plant would now be considered endangered, and perhaps even extinct.

Lotus – herbaceous plant, an amphibian, its stems turned into creeping rhizomes, immersed in the sandy bottom of the reservoir. These rhizomes are powerful, branching, with well-defined spherical nodes, from which numerous roots extend. During the winter, starch is deposited in the rhizomes, due to which they grow very thick. At the nodes of the rhizomes, buds are formed, in which both leaves and flowers are formed. A cross section of the rhizome shows that it is penetrated by numerous single bundles arranged in concentric circles, separated by large air-bearing cavities.

Under natural conditions, the lotus reproduces mainly vegetatively - with the help of its rhizomes, which actively grow and branch in spring and summer, giving thin, cord-like young “branches” called stolons. They ensure that the plant quickly conquers a large space. Often lotuses of the same thicket are connected by a common system of rhizomes that reach enormous lengths. For example, American scientists calculated that the length of the network of yellow lotus rhizomes over an area of ​​about 4000 m2 was over 340 km.

Lotus leaves are of two types: underwater - sessile, scale-like, with parallel veins, and above-water, or aerial - floating and rising high above the water. The emergent leaves have a rounded shield-shaped shape and a long spinous petiole. Floating leaves have a flat leaf blade, while standing leaves have a funnel-shaped blade. Venation air leaves radiate: 12–25 veins diverge radially from the center of the leaf from the place of attachment of the petiole.

Lotus leaves have an interesting feature - their upper surface is not wetted by water, which collects here in large drops (see photo). This is explained by the presence of a well-developed waxy coating on the upper surface of the leaf. In the morning hours, dew collects in the center of the funnel-shaped standing lotus leaves, which ancient chemists used for their experiments. Stomata on lotus leaves are located only on the upper side, and the leaf tissues have large air-bearing cavities that relieve the plant from excess moisture.

Since ancient times, lotus flowers have been famous for their beauty. They are very large (up to 30 cm in diameter), solitary, bisexual, and have a weak but very pleasant cinnamon odor. Like erect leaves, lotus flowers are raised high above the water on a straight, long stalk. They have positive heleotropism, i.e. always facing the sun - slightly below the place where the flower is attached there is a so-called reaction zone, thanks to changes in which it changes its position. At night the flower closes. Each flower pleases us with its beauty for only three days.

Nut lotus:
A - general form plants; b – cross section of rhizome

The lotus flower is formed by numerous (22–30 pieces) spirally arranged petals, the lower of which gradually turn into sepals. However, there are only two clearly defined sepals in a lotus flower. Numerous large stamens are also arranged spirally. Barrel-shaped carpels with sessile stigmas are also arranged spirally or almost ring-shaped. The carpels are immersed in a highly expanded receptacle, which has an obverse-conical shape. When ripe, the carpels form single-seeded nuts with a dark, very durable woody pericarp and a respiratory opening near the stigma. The lotus embryo is very large, with fleshy, colorless cotyledons and a bud with the first two dark green leaves.

Lotus seeds remain viable for centuries and even millennia. American researcher Jane Shen-Miller sprouted a lotus nut that had lain in the ground for 1,288 years. Several seeds were found in China, at the bottom of a dry pond once dug by Buddhist monks. Ancient lotus seeds, which were 13 centuries old, were subjected to biochemical research. Scientists were able to isolate an enzyme that eliminates damage that accumulates in cellular protein structures. This enzyme was active in the ancient seed as well as in the newly ripened one.

Perhaps there are other mechanisms that prevent lotus seeds from aging. Jane Shen-Miller hopes that in the future scientists will be able to insert genes into the genome of humans and domestic animals that are responsible for eliminating defects that accumulate throughout life. This is how it is sacred lotus, containing a cure for illnesses and old age!

The fact that the lotus has long attracted human attention is evidenced by numerous monuments of art and literature. Lotus was used as a cult, food, and medicinal plant. The rhizomes and seeds of the lotus contain up to 50% starch, as well as a lot of sugar, fats and vitamin C. The lotus culture was already known to the primitive inhabitants of South and Southeast Asia, and the American Indians, especially those living along the banks of the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, and the natives In the northern tip of South America, before Europeans arrived there, lotuses were widely used as food. In the countries of Southeast Asia, lotus has long been cultivated like a rice crop on dammed, terraced lowlands. It is usually planted with seeds in the spring, after first breaking the pericarp and placing it in a lump of clay, which is lowered to the bottom of the reservoir. The harvest is harvested in the fall, leaving some for the next planting next year. Rural populations in China, India and Japan still use lotus seeds and rhizomes to make flour and extract starch, sugar and oil. The rhizomes are often used to make soup or as a side dish, like potatoes. In China and in our time, sliced ​​and candied lotus rhizomes, reminiscent of marmalade in taste, are considered a delicacy.

First mention of lotus among others medicinal plants found in Chinese sources compiled more than 3000 BC. Already in ancient times, folk medicine used all parts of the lotus - rhizomes, leaves, pedicels, petals, stamens, fruits - to treat diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

For a long time in China, India and Ancient Egypt the lotus was considered a sacred plant, which contributed to its wide application, as well as amazing beauty. Images of the lotus are quite often found in the architectural monuments of India, Egypt and Assyria, where it, along with papyri and water lilies, is present as characteristic element water landscape. Lotus flowers were used for burials and are often found in ancient Egyptian tombs. However, you should pay attention to the fact that sometimes water lilies (genus Nymphaea) from the water lily family. The flower called the "Egyptian lotus" is a water lily. Nymphaea lotus. This plant was also sacred to the ancient Egyptians. The real lotus is not found in Egypt now.

Lotus is one of the plants whose role in human life is very great, starting from its use in folk medicine and ending with poetry praising its beauty and mystery.

Buddha Throne

According to legend, beautiful lotus flowers grew where the young Buddha walked. Every Buddhist temple has carved images of lotuses and always has fresh flowers. Usually the sage Buddha is depicted seated in the lotus position on a throne woven from a lotus.

Latest research. What is the “lotus effect”?

The statement that “the lotus is always pure” is not an invention. Water drains from it, carrying away any debris: soot, fungal spores, algae. Even paints and glue slip off. What is the reason for this?

More recently, the German botanist Wilhelm Barthlot revealed this secret. He examined the surface structure of various plants under an electron microscope. The fact that some leaves - such as kohlrabi, nasturtium or lotus leaves - are never dirty surprised and puzzled him.

It turned out that the surface of the lotus leaves is dotted with thousands of tiny wax lumps and hollows - thanks to these irregularities, droplets of water and splashes of dirt simply cannot catch on to it and roll off.

This conclusion was completely unexpected for scientists. Previously it was believed that only a perfectly smooth surface could be clean. If there are micro-irregularities on it, they will certainly become clogged with dirt. But it turned out that microscopic roughness provides the surface with impeccable cleanliness. This phenomenon was called the “lotus effect.”

Self-heating flower

This study was conducted by scientists at the University of Adelaide (Australia). It turned out that lotus buds and flowers are able to independently warm up and regulate their temperature, maintaining it at about +35 °C. It turned out that amount of energy, allocated blooming lotus, reaches 1 W. With 20 plants you could light up a room.

"Lotus Temple"

In the capital of India, Delhi, there is an amazing temple, similar in its outline to a half-opened lotus flower with 27 petals. The Lotus Temple, or Baha'i house of worship of the Indian subcontinent, is one of the most striking architectural landmarks not only of India, but of all of modern Asia. There is not a single straight line in this unique structure. The temple was built in 6 years using voluntary donations. Computer-aided design of geometric calculations lasted two and a half years.

The “petals” are arranged in three rows and are made of white concrete, and the outside is lined with white marble slabs. The inner row forms the arch of the building and resembles a flower bud that has not yet blossomed. Inside there is a central hall with a diameter of 75 m, designed for 1300 seats. The distance from the floor to the top of the building is 35 m. The temple is surrounded by nine pools, giving the impression that the building is like lotus flower, standing on the water.

The temple has a unique system natural ventilation. Thanks to open openings at the base of the building and at its top, warm air it exits from the central hall through an opening in the dome, and cool air, passing through pools of water and the foundation, enters the hall, maintaining an acceptable temperature inside.

Based on materials:

Vakhromeeva M.G., Pavlov V.N. Plants of the Red Book of the USSR. – M.: Pedagogy, 1990.

Around the World, 2002, No. 3.

Plant life. T. 5(1). – M.: Education, 1980.

Kadakin A.M. Delhi and its historical and architectural monuments. – Published by the Russian Embassy in the Republic of India. 2000.

Aug 25 2013

Lotus fields in Russia

Turns out, in Russia There is lotus fields . It may seem incredible what it is exotic plant, which usually grows in tropical countries, growing in Russia. Moreover, it is in Russia that the largest lotus field on the planet is located. It is located in the Astrakhan region in the delta of the Volga River, where the river diverges into many channels and branches and flows into the Caspian Sea. The area where lotuses grow here extends over a total of 5,000 hectares.

Lotuses were first discovered in the Volga delta more than two hundred years ago in Chulpansky Bay. Scientists are divided on how lotuses appeared here. Some believe that these lotuses in the Volga delta are relict plants that grew here millions of years ago, others believe that lotuses were brought here by merchants or Buddhist monks, and according to others, the lotus appeared in the Caspian Sea thanks to migratory birds.

In 1919, at the time of the creation of the Astrakhan Nature Reserve in the Volga delta, lotus thickets occupied a small area - 0.25 hectares. Gradually, as a result of a decrease in the level of the Caspian Sea and after the construction of the Volgograd hydroelectric power station, the Caspian territories became shallow, which led to their overgrowing with aquatic vegetation, including lotuses.

Astrakhan residents call the lotus the Caspian rose. The Caspian lotus is a type of nut-bearing (or Indian) lotus. His flowers Pink colour, reach a height of up to 2 m, and a diameter of up to 30 cm, have leaves with a diameter of up to 1.4 m. The flowering period of the lotus is July-August. On lotus fields Excursions are organized to admire their blossoms.

In the European part of Russia, lotus plantations grow on the Taman Peninsula in the Kuban estuaries. But here lotuses were bred on purpose. For the first time, they tried to grow the Caspian lotus on the Kuban estuaries in 1938. But the lotuses did not take root. They tried again in the 60s of the 20th century, and this time it worked, the lotuses took root in the Akhtanizovsky estuary of the Taman Peninsula. Now the Lotus Valley on Taman covers an area of ​​more than a hectare.

Excursion to the lotus fields in the Akhtanizovsky estuary.

In 2004, lotus seeds from the Astrakhan Nature Reserve were planted in the Volga-Akhtubinskaya Floodplain Nature Park. And in 2007 the first flowers appeared. This is how a lake of lotuses appeared quite recently near Volgograd.

Well, the most ancient lotus lakes and plantations in Russia are located in the south Far East in the lower reaches of the Amur, in the basins of the Ussuri, Bureya, Tunguska and Zeya rivers, in the lakes of the Khanka Plain and on Putyatin Island. Lotuses growing in the Far East are named Komarov lotuses in honor of the Russian geographer and botanist who explored the flora of the Far East in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Komarov lotus, like the Caspian lotus, belongs to the nut-bearing lotus species. Lotuses in the Far East are relict; they grew in these territories even before the Ice Age, when the climate here was warmer. Over the centuries, the plant has adapted to survive in temperate climates and endure winter frosts.

Lotus Lake on Putyatin Island.

Komarov's lotus and Caspian lotus are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. You can't tear them, and it doesn't make sense, because... The petals of a plucked flower fall off after a few hours.

During the lotus blooming period, tourists not only from Russia , but people also come from abroad to see this miracle - blooming lotus fields , lakes and valleys.

P.S. All photos in the article "Lotus fields in Russia" taken from the Internet, if anyone recognizes their photographs, write to me, I will indicate the authorship.

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Lotus in America, India, Egypt, China and Russia exists in a huge variety of colors and types. Lotus grows in reservoirs rich in silt. And despite all the difficulties of its emergence from the dark silt, through the thickness of the water, the lotus flower reaches out to the sky and the sun. Flowers, amazing in their beauty, excite human consciousness; they bloom outside of water and reach for the light of not only the Sun, but also the Moon. Therefore, you can observe the splendor of blooming lotuses even on a moonlit night.

Lotus leaves are covered with a waxy substance that protects them from dirt. This is the mystery of small water creatures. They bloom two by one male flower and one female, which makes the lotus a symbol happy couples. They bloom for 3 or 4 days, emitting a delicate aroma. The symbolism of the lotus in the consciousness of the ancients and modern people very rich...

Lotus flower - sacred

The lotus has symbolized purity, perfection, grace and the desire for spiritual purity since ancient times. Growing out of the mud, it is never dirty. The special structure of its leaves and petals can repel water, while collecting all the dirt from the lotus leaf.

And it was precisely this special property of remaining pure that made the lotus a symbol of spiritual improvement: no matter what environment, good or bad, a person is in, he must always maintain a clear consciousness and spiritual purity. The sign of a symbol of improvement is confirmed by the shape of all the components of this flower. The shape of its leaves, petals and even the core tend to be round, i.e. to perfect form.

Lotus is one of the oldest flowers in the world

His longevity is impressive. The appearance of lotus flowers delighted the ancient Egyptians, and from ancient times a proverb has been preserved: “Many lotuses on the water, great fertility will be.” In 1881, during excavations of the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses II, several blue lotus buds were found, which were stored for 3,000 years and even when dried retained their extraordinary color. The knowledge that the dried lotus flowers made a greater impression than the luxury of the dazzling riches of the tomb speaks of the real mysterious power and charm of the flowers. And lotus seeds found in Japan were 2000 years old. After planting, the seeds sprouted and bloomed again, reminding everyone of improvement. In addition, the collected lotus seeds were edible, as was the rest of the plant.

Lotus has been eaten since ancient times

The lotus is a symbol of improvement. Photo from secretchina.com

The Egyptian blue lotus was grown in ancient Egypt for its rhizomes and poppy-like seeds extracted from the center of the lotus, which were used to bake bread and make an intoxicating drink. Candied lotus roots taste like marmalade, while lotus flowers are used to make elite tea and also in perfumes. The aroma of lotus has long been considered the quintessence of all that is most valuable in this world. Therefore, in ancient times in Vietnam, tea with lotus aroma was a privileged drink of the royal court, aristocrats and rich people. In addition, the Chinese eat the stamens and stem, in their minds there is a belief that this food returns old people to their former youth. The lotus plant not only provided people with delicious food, but also a cure for many diseases to improve the human body.

The Legend of the Drink of Oblivion

The writings of Herodotus and the poem "Odyssey" speak of a country where lotuses are eaten. The inhabitants of this country - "lotophagi" ("lotus eaters") made a drink of oblivion from the lotus: anyone who drinks it will never want to part with the homeland of this flower. The memory of his real homeland and original intentions will be erased from the consciousness of this person. Leaving the island, Odysseus had to use force and tie his people, under the influence of flower spells, to the benches of his ship. In the middle of the 20th century, historians provided evidence that the mythological land of lotus eaters is a small, green island of Djerba, where several species of lotus and water lilies grow.

Lotuses are used as offerings to the gods

We often find the lotus depicted on ordinary objects, in elements of architecture and painting. Buddhas (Enlightened Ones in ancient Sanskrit) are often depicted sitting on lotuses. Flowers were used as offerings to the gods. Legend has it that the sun was born from a giant lotus flower, where the sun gods regain their youth. The Japanese goddess of nature also sits on a lotus. The beautiful and fragrant lotus flowers are often compared to feminine purity and chastity and perfection.

There is a legend in the minds of Indians that the gods Brahma and Savaswati were born from a lotus flower. In India, the lotus is revered and is still chanted in ritual dances. If the dancer folds her hands at face level with her fingers up, this means a sleeping lotus bud; if she separates her fingers from the joined hands, this means a blossoming plant as a symbol of improvement. The red lotus remains the emblem of India today.

The attitude of contemporaries to the symbol of improvement

The lotus is a symbol of improvement. Photo from secretchina.com

It is not without reason that in almost all traditions the lotus is a symbol of purity and perfection. It is given mystical properties even in the modern material world, far from the reverent beliefs of our ancestors. The lotus is able to cleanse the energy field around itself from negative vibrations. The aura of the room where the symbol of improvement is located becomes positive just from its presence, experts and sensitive people say.

Lotus is often used to get rid of depression and melancholy. Moreover, the property of the lotus is such that it gradually brings you out of a state of depression. This property is in no way comparable to modern antidepressants, which cause instant mood changes and addiction. This makes it possible for the human psyche and consciousness to adapt to the surrounding reality without consequences and side effects.

The ability to change a person's consciousness

The lotus aura can improve a person’s consciousness and direct his thoughts to more spiritual spheres. According to spiritually developing people, the use of “lotus therapy” is especially recommended for those people who are too mired in the material world, who think only about career, money and fame, completely forgetting about the second spiritual side of their personality. If such a person carries lotus petals with him or observes this plant for at least half an hour, then gradually his consciousness will change. His nature will become more refined, he will gradually begin to turn his attention to spiritual improvement. We should not forget about ancient practices, where the lotus has a broader meaning than a flower that can be seen and smelled. After all, the ability to maintain a clear consciousness and a calm mind even modern man The meditation technique allows, again with legs crossed in the lotus position.

The saying goes: “Lotus flowers are a ship on which a drowning person in the ocean of life can find his salvation.”

Ksenia Velichko. The Epoch Times

Evgeniy Sedov

When your hands grow from the right place, life is more fun :)

Content

Nut lotus is the most revered flower in Asia and the East. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans considered it sacred. According to myth, the plant appeared from the unrequited love of a water nymph for Hercules. Existing types– American yellow, Nile white, oriental red, nut-bearing (pink lotus).

Nut-bearing lotus - description

To recognize it beautiful plant, you will need a description of the nut-bearing or nut-shaped lotus:

• name in Latin is Nelumbonucifera. Flower of the gods, symbol of purity and wisdom.
• Lotus family.
• A perennial herbaceous amphibian plant - a native of Asian countries with a tropical climate: India, Japan, China. In Russia it can grow in the Far East.
• It has dense dark green large leaves, reaching a diameter of up to 1/2 meter. The plant has a long spiny stalk. A pink flower appears on the peduncle in July-August. The root is large, branched, overgrown. The fruit ripens in a box.
• The Far Eastern nut-bearing variety of flower is an endangered species that had to be included in the Red Book of Russia.

What does a lotus look like?

The plant's shape is very similar to a water lily, but only very large. It has beautiful large, floating leaves and a huge stem. Pink flowers can be up to 30 cm in diameter. The dense, flat and fleshy petal has a rough surface. Thanks to this, the plant always manages to look clean in numerous photos - the water simply rolls off the leaf, carrying away all the dust and dirt. A flower grown on muddy soil represents purity.

The nut-bearing lotus plant has a powerful rhizome. The foliage rises above the water in dense blades or lies on the surface. The plant is covered with a waxy coating, this is the secret of purity. Particularly interesting are the seeds, which can be stored for a very long time. In appearance, they resemble dark olives the size of a hazelnut in a strong peel. The strength of the seed is important for long-term storage. There are cases when scientists found a capsule fruit that was more than 1000 years old, and the nuts sprouted.

When the lotus blooms

The lotus blooms from mid-summer to early autumn. The peak occurs at the end of July - beginning of August. You can see this spectacle in the photo or by going to the Astrakhan colonies, where the flower (Astrakhan) multiplies. The largest plantations of these plants are located in the Caspian Sea, in the delta of the Volga River. Entire excursions come to see the colorful blooms - tourists really like the colonies of flowers on the water. Interesting fact: one bud lives only three days from birth to wilting.

Types of Nut Lotus

There is not only one variety of this plant on the territory of Russia. There are the following types of lotuses:

1. Caspian. The flower grows near the Volga delta. It differs from the Asian species in that it is smaller in size and resistant to cold.
2. Far Eastern. The flower grows in the Far East. Tolerant to cold, but dies when the soil freezes strongly.
3. American. Homeland of the plant - South America. Flowers yellow color. Thanks to cultivation, it has spread widely throughout Russia.

Where does the lotus grow?

The lotus plant grows in sedentary silty waters that warm up well and is a property of temperate tropical climate zones. Partially propagated by knotty rhizomes. The population needs above-zero temperatures, and the reservoir is not subject to freezing. Warmth is one of the conditions for preserving a relict species. The genus might have ceased to exist if not for the efforts of people to preserve this flower. For Russia, the plant is a decoration of the Far East. Residents of other regions of the country can see the flower only in the photo.

How to grow lotus at home

Growing lotus at home is a completely doable task. To do this, it is necessary to create certain conditions. The algorithm for growing a flower from a seed is as follows:

• To open the shell you can use sandpaper and a file. The top should be filed. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the seed.
• After the seed is visible in the small sawn hole, the nut is placed in a small transparent vessel with water. It needs to be changed every day.
• In two to three weeks, the first shoots will appear, which after a while will turn into long stems with leaves.
• As soon as the roots grow, it is time to replant the plant. For seedlings, you need special soil (a mixture of sand, peat and black soil), which is placed at the bottom of a pot with holes.
• Place the sprouts loosely on the surface, straighten the leaves.
• Prepare a large aquarium. Place a pot of seedlings at the bottom and fill with water so that the leaves can be on the surface. This is necessary for the plant to begin to grow and bloom, to prevent rotting.
• Don't forget about lighting - the flower loves a lot of light.

Lotus propagation

In place of the flower, a fruit appears - a kind of conical basket. Up to twenty seeds “sit” in the cells, looking like hard, brown nuts in a dense shell. When ripe, the fruits fall out of the basket into the pond. Propagating lotus seeds takes time. The relict population is restored mainly by replanting rhizomes. The shells of the nuts are so strong that even in favorable conditions the seed can lie dormant for a long time.

Properties of lotus

Nut lotus has a number of beneficial properties. The plant contains flavonoids, which can improve the functioning of many human organs; it is used to treat a number of diseases. The beneficial properties of lotus can be briefly listed; it has:

• diuretic effect;
• anti-inflammatory;
• antitumor;
• antispasmodic;
• vascular strengthening;
• wound healing.

Lotus flower

Lotus flowers rise more than a meter above the pond on tall, fleshy stems. The bright petals quickly change color throughout the day (from crimson to pale pink). The plant loves it very much sunlight and blooms with sunrise. The flower is extremely beautiful and exudes a pleasant aroma. The seeds ripen in the fruit-box (similar to the bell of a watering can). The nuts fall to the bottom of the reservoir, where they are stored under a layer of silt.

Lotus leaf - properties

The beautiful plant has green leaves up to 40-50 cm in diameter, which effectively lie on the surface of the water. Medicinal properties Lotus leaves have been known since ancient times and are widely used by healers. Contained in lotus useful material, have an antiseptic effect, increase blood clotting, relieve cramps, and the decoction heals wounds. The leaves are collected during the summer, cut into small pieces and dried. They prepare decoctions, teas and tinctures, make powders and add them to food.

Lotus fruits - beneficial properties

Lotus seeds are the most useful part of the plant (they treat heart disease, decoctions can remove feelings of fear and relieve insomnia). Traditional medicine is full of descriptions of recipes on how to use fruits to prepare infusions for liver ailments, intestinal disorders, and stomach infections. Information from eastern treatises will tell you how to cure pneumonia, asthma, and ulcers. There are no diseases that are not affected by the wide spectrum of action of seeds.

Application of lotus

Indian healers believed that with the help of this flower one could lift a person out of depression. At all times, the plant was used as cosmetic product. A mixture of finely chopped petals and plant oil smoothed the skin of the face and restored youth. Many peoples consumed seeds, nuts and lotus roots as food. Where is lotus used in the modern world:

1. Medicine. A flower has many useful components. Tanning, antiseptic, astringent, wound-healing, diuretic properties have made this plant indispensable in pharmaceuticals.
2. Cooking. The leaf powder is used as an aromatic seasoning.
3. Religion. In many cultures it is believed that this powerful tool to cleanse the soul. The energy of the flower is capable of defeating witchcraft.
4. Cosmetology. Many skin and hair care products contain various extracts from the plant.

Applications of lotus oil

Lotus oil is widely in demand in cosmetology. A magical elixir is obtained from flowers collected before dawn. When harvesting, it is important not to damage the plant, otherwise it will lose its beneficial features. The oil has a rejuvenating, smoothing and regenerating effect and is included in many creams and face masks. Massages and body wraps are popular.

Lotus in cooking

Eastern people have come up with many options for eating the plant. All parts are suitable for culinary processing - starch, sugar, butter are extracted from it, and flour is made. Cooking lotus root is a real art; this delicacy is served as a side dish, and lovers of sweets make marmalade from the roots. Nuts are especially considered delicious - they are eaten fresh or caramelized.

Lotus in medicine

The properties of the medicinal nut-bearing lotus have been known to medicine since ancient times. The Egyptians, ancient Greeks and Romans greatly revered this flower. Lotus has found wide application in folk medicine. Medicinal properties allow it to be used in the following cases:

• diseases of the stomach, intestines, liver;
• an indispensable plant for heart ailments;
• skin diseases, snake bites and long-healing wounds;
• Seed decoctions relieve anxiety;
• tea helps relieve insomnia;
• decoctions of the stems are used by gynecology;
• A drink is made from the rhizome, useful for neuroses and convulsions;
• some species are able to fight cancerous tumors;
• the aroma of the flower gently lifts out of deep depression, raises the tone of mental strength;
• Vitamin C strengthens the immune system.

Video: signs of nut-bearing lotus

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Plant nut lotus- beneficial properties of fruits and leaves, cultivation and care at home