Lotus flowers or seroja is a type of annual aquatic plant originated in India. In Indonesia this flower is called a lotus. Basically these two plants are actually not related.
Seroja has an upright flower stalk and the flower does not float on the surface of the water like a lotus flower. It will bloom from July to August.
Lotus has clean white, yellow or pink flowers coming out of a strong stalk towering over the surface of the water. This lotus flower plant became a lambing state of India.
This type of flower has an unsightly appearance so much used to decorate the pond in the garden - garden. In Japan, Chinese as well as Indian rhizomes this plant is widely used as a processed cuisine because it has a good taste.
But if these rhizomes are eaten raw it can be a source of transmission of trematodes parasites.
In ancient Egypt, these lotuses were found growing with lotuses on the banks of the nile. The Egyptians during the pharaoh's time also greatly glorified seroja so that the flowers, fruits and petals were used as motifs on the architect of the temple.
To be able to grow lotus is very easy, because this plant can breed through old seeds or rhizomes. As well as can be planted in pots containing muddy soil that is watery. Here's how to grow seroja at home:
#1 Seed preparation
The first step that must be done beforehand in how to plant lotus water is to prepare lotus seed. To prepare it is very easy especially if the house is close to the swamp or lotus planting.
But if you do not find lotus flowers near the residence, you can buy them at the seed shop. Here's an explanation to get lotus seeds:
- Choose a healthy parent flower and have the desired color. Pay attention to the shape of the leaves and be aware of whether they are perfect or deformed. If possible, visit a pond that has many lotus flowers, so more freedom in determining.
- Wait until the flowers fall out, because that's when the lotus seeds appear. Lotus seeds can be picked immediately by breaking the stalk.
- Remove the seeds from the base of the flower. In one flower base there can be more than 10 seeds.
- Bakal lotus seeds have a layer of wrapping that must be in the hole before seeding. Can use a knife to cut the outer layer or rub it with sandpaper. Be careful not to hit the embryo on the inside.
- This process is often referred to as skarification, aimed at facilitating the circulation of water to seeds and spurring development. After hammering this stage, the seeds will be ready to be sowed.
#2 Seeding steps
After getting seedlings with good quality, then the next way to plant lotus water is to do seeding. Of the many ornamental plants, lotus is one that will be very easy to sow seeds.
It is enough to prepare a medium-sized bucket, enough water, and a little soil. There is no other special equipment on how to plant lotus seroja flowers. Once everything is ready, follow the following procedure:
- The more seeds will be sowed, the greater the volume of water and soil needed. Adjust the size of the bucket (or container of any type, glasses can also be used) to the number of seeds.
- Unless you have a large pond, use only four or five seeds in one nursery. Lotus leaves can reach a diameter of 60 cm, while the surface of the pond is good not covered entirely by leaves.
- Fill the container with water until half full.
- Soak the seeds in water until the roots appear. When the root has appeared, the shape of the seed resembles sprouts.
- Take good care of the nursery. Change the water in the container twice a day in the morning and evening. Always use clean water to maintain nutrient levels in the seedling medium.
- Do not mix water with other materials such as liquid fertilizers or pesticides. As long as the water remains clean, the seeds will take root without problems.
- Seeds will continue to develop during seedlings. It takes about two weeks for the seeds to be ready to plant. At this stage, the seed already has two or three leaves and a complete length of about 3 -5 cm.
#3 Preparation of planting media
The next step in how to plant lotus water is to prepare the planting medium. Different if planting flowers in general that require soil planting media. Planting lotus requires a lot of media in the form of water, and here's the explanation:
- Making planting media on how to plant lotus seroja flowers itself can be done while seeding lotus seeds while waiting for the development of seeds into seedlings or about 1 to 2 weeks after providing seeds.
- Prepare soil and containers for planting media, for containers can use pots or ponds. Not the same if you will plant other ornamental flowers, if determining the pot as a planting medium container, please make sure the pot does not have holes underneath.
- Because lotus flowers grow by using a wider way and will be able to make meet the surface of the container, choose a container that has a wide surface.
- Put the soil without being combined with the fertilizer in the prepared container and leave for about 2 weeks.
- Plant lotus seedlings on the soil media contained in the water. Try to really plant it, to facilitate planting can drain the water a little and plant the roots of lotus seedlings on the ground.
- Give enough water until it reaches a height below the leaf limit so that it will appear that the lotus leaves are floating.
- Spray lotus with pesticides at least once every 2 weeks in order to avoid the disease of aphids that often attack lotus during the rainy season.
- Give liquid fertilizer in a planned about 2 months so that plants get enough nutrients and nutrients.
- Occasionally trim dry and wilted lotus leaves to keep the lotus looking beautiful.
- To avoid water planted with lotus does not become a mosquito nest, fill the pond with fish so that it can consume mosquito larvae.
Benefits of Lotus Flower
The aroma produced by lotus flowers is able to produce a calming effect. However, not only useful for calming, lotus flowers also have other functions.
The root part of the lotus flower can be cooked and is great for the body. Because, this plant contains fiber, B vitamins, vitamin C, and calcium.
Here are the benefits of lotus for health:
Overcoming diarrhea
One of the most commonly used properties of lotus flowers in traditional Chinese medicine is to stop diarrhea.
How to try this natural remedy is: soak the lotus seeds in warm water for a few hours, add sugar cubes, then drink.
But it's good not to rely solely on this traditional medicine alone. However, the cause of the mencret must be recognized, so that proper therapy can be done.
Remember, the things that cause a variety of seds. It can be due to viral infections, bacteria, food allergies, side effects of some medications, or malnutrition.
If it depends only on lotus when diarrhea is caused by a bacterial infection that needs antibiotics, then the mencret will still repeat itself.
Helps control blood pressure
One of the nutrients that are widely obtained in lotus is potassium. This substance is needed to maintain fluid stability and help keep blood vessels wide open (vasodilation).
One of the benefits of lotus flowers is that it helps keep blood pressure stable within normal limits.
Neutralizes blood sugar as well as blood fat
There are many foods that can naturally eradicate blood sugar and blood fat levels. One of them is the lotus root part.
Lotus root contains fiber and complex carbohydrates that can help manage the two causative components of cardiovascular disease.
Helps overcome inflammation
Inflammation is generally accompanied by a sensation of heat and pain. The benefits of lotus seeds of red and white varieties can help the sensation of such inflammation.
The efficacy of lotus flowers comes from plumule compounds that are known to have anti-inflammatory and high antioxidant effects, so as to relieve symptoms of inflammation and make the body comfortable again.
Maintain endurance
Lotus plant stem is rich in vitamin C, can help maintain the body's immune system and antibiotics so that it does not get sick easily. To obtain the benefits of this lotus flower, it can boil its roots and stems for 10 minutes.
Preventing Aging
One thing to also know, the benefits of lotus seed contain the anti-aging enzyme l-isoaspartyl methyltransferase. The substance is able to help restore proteins in the damaged body.
No wonder that nowadays, many cosmetic companies are changing lotus seeds as one of the important compositions. Lotus seeds are known to contain kaempferol, a natural flavonoid that avoids inflammation in as many organs in the body, especially the oral area.
No comments:
Post a Comment