Shokkouren Lotus (Nelumbo ʽShokkouren’)

Red Brocade Lotus
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey / License

Nelumbo ʽShokkouren’: The Red Brocade Sacred Lotus

Cultivated for its striking crimson blooms, Nelumbo ʽShokkouren’ remains a highly prized Japanese lotus selection among water gardening enthusiasts. This classic variety showcases large, multi-petaled flowers that open with intense coloration before softening slightly as they mature. It brings a majestic focal point to traditional water gardens, ponds, and large containers.

Taxonomy

  • ∟ царство Plantae
  • ∟ division Tracheophytes (Vascular Plants)
  • ∟ subdivision Spermatophytes (Seed plants)
  • ∟ Angiosperms
  • ∟ mesangiosperms (Core angiosperms)
  • ∟ eudicots
  • ∟ order Proteales (Protea order)
  • ∟ family Nelumbonaceae (Lotus family)
  • ∟ genus Nelumbo (Lotus genus)
  • ∟ cultivar Nelumbo ʽShokkouren’ (Shokkouren Lotus)

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Morphology

The vegetative and floral structure of Nelumbo ʽShokkouren’ displays characteristics typical of medium-to-large aquatic lotus cultivars. Its peltate leaves are circular, bright green, and covered with a waxy cuticle that repels water droplets, reaching up to 40 centimeters in diameter. These foliage elements rise on long, prickly petioles directly from a submerged, starch-rich rhizomatous root system.

During the flowering season, the plant produces erect peduncles that support solitary, multi-petaled blossoms. The tepals exhibit a deep rose-pink to crimson hue, surrounding a prominent central receptacle and numerous yellow stamens. The seed pod, shaped like a watering can rose, hardens and darkens as the nut-like seeds develop within individual chambers.

Flowering season

Mid to late summer

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Dec

Care parameters

Light

Requires full sun, demanding at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal flower production.

Watering

Strictly aquatic growth habit; needs heavy, loamy soil submerged under 5 to 30 centimeters of still water.

Temperature

Thrives in warm summer conditions between 20°C and 35°C; tubers must be kept below the ice line in winter to survive.

Humidity

Prefers moderate to high relative humidity, which prevents the leaf margins from drying out.

Toxicity

Generally non-toxic, with rhizomes and seeds being edible, though raw ingestion is discouraged due to potential parasites in wild water.

Applications

This cultivar serves primarily as an ornamental specimen in large estate ponds, botanical gardens, and private water features. Its historic Japanese lineage makes it a key element in East Asian themed landscape designs. Additionally, like other selections of Nelumbo nucifera, parts of the plant carry symbolic value in cultural contexts.

Interesting facts

The name ʽShokkouren’ is associated with traditional Japanese brocades, reflecting the rich, woven-like textures of the flower petals. Lotus seeds of related varieties have demonstrated extreme longevity, with some specimens germinating after remaining dormant for over a thousand years. The hydrophobic surface of the leaves, known as the lotus effect, has inspired modern self-cleaning materials and nanotechnology.

Varieties and cultivars

While Nelumbo ʽShokkouren’ is itself a stabilized cultivar, it shares lineage with other classic double-flowered lotus varieties. Horticulturists often compare its performance and color retention to cultivars such as 'Momo Botan' and 'Pekinensis Rubra'. Breeding programs continue to use these lines to select for dwarfed containers and deeper pigmentation.

Geography of distribution

  • Japan

Sources

  • International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society (IWGS) cultivar registry
  • Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) plant finder database
  • Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) taxonomical database

See also

Sacred lotus

Sacred lotus

Nelumbo nucifera

Nelumbo nucifera, also known as the sacred lotus, is an iconic aquatic perennial famous for …

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