Today, I am sharing some of the American Lotus photos I took while visiting Reeve’s Slough at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. I was there with my dear friend and excellent photographer, Steve Creek.

Please click any of the photos to view them larger.

American Lotus blossom - Translucent Splendor, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
Close up of a blooming American Lotus, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
American Lotus glowing in summer light, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
American Lotus and a specular highlight, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
Glowing American Lotus in summer, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
Summer American Lotus in bloom, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma

The lotuses were beautiful in the morning light. Some of the blooms were a bit ragged and a few were damaged, most likely due to the storm the day before I took the photos. Despite that, in my eyes, all of the American Lotuses were imperfectly perfect. Nature’s works of art and beauty.

What is imperfectly perfect?

In humans, it means being perfect the way you are and accepting yourself as you are, flaws and all. I apply that to the natural world too. Whether my subjects are imperfect due to age, damage, molting, or other causes, they are still perfect to me.

I didn’t get to see these American Lotuses when they first started blooming, a time when they are most likely to look perfect. That didn’t matter to me because I was still able to view and photograph them in bloom.

American Lotus (Nelumbo lutea) have several unique characteristics related to their flowers and leaves:

Flowers:

  • The flowers are exceptionally large, measuring up to 8-11 inches in diameter, making them among the largest native wildflowers in North America.
  • They have a pale yellow color and consist of 20 or more sepals and petals.
  • The flowers open each morning and close by late afternoon, blooming from June to September.
  • At the center of the flower is an elevated receptacle resembling a showerhead, which starts out soft and yellow but becomes brown and woody as the seeds ripen.

Leaves:

  • The leaves are large and circular, reaching up to 2 feet in diameter.
  • They are typically blue-green in color and have a unique ability to repel water, causing water droplets to ball up on their surface.
  • The leaves are centrally attached to the stem (peltate), giving them a distinctive umbrella-like appearance.
  • While young leaves may float on the water surface, mature leaves are usually held above the water level on long stems.
  • Unlike water lilies, American Lotus leaves do not have a V-shaped notch, which is an easy way to distinguish between the two plants.

These characteristics make the American Lotus a visually striking and easily recognizable aquatic plant in its native habitats across North America.

I adore seeing these gorgeous, wonderful wildflowers in bloom. More to come about the flowers and some insects soon!

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my wildflower, shrub and tree photos.

Sources:

https://untamedscience.com/biodiversity/american-lotus/
https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/american-lotus
https://aquaplant.tamu.edu/plant-identification/alphabetical-index/american-lotus/