Nelumbo lutea in southern Vermont?

August 13, 2008 8:14 AM

Nelumbo lutea in southern Vermont?

In search of Nelumbo lutea anywhere near southern Vermont. Northern MA, NH, upstate NY? Can it be found anywhere near here?

posted by doomtop to home & garden (4 comments total)

You might want to contact Dr. Leonard Perry, a botanist at the University of Vermont. He has written about this plant, also known as the American Lotus.
posted by SteveInMaine at 10:39 AM on August 13, 2008

You could start with these county level maps from USDA plants:

New York
Massachusetts

No occurrences in New Hampshire and Vermont according to that source.

Is it native up in New England? Its a banned plant in CT. Its very good at colonizing manmade ponds and reservoirs, so you may want to start your search there.
posted by buttercup at 8:09 PM on August 13, 2008

@SteveInMaine: Thanks for the tip! I think he may be my best bet.

@buttercup: It is not native to New England, but the southeastern states. Although my understanding is that it was spread up into the north by native Americans who moved that direction and brought it with them as a food source.
posted by doomtop at 9:12 AM on August 14, 2008

Dr. Perry is also involved with the Vermont Master Gardeners. He leads the perennials part of the certification program. So the Vermont Master Gardeners is another option. They manage a help line too.
posted by terrapin at 4:04 PM on August 14, 2008