When I think about the stories of the Lotus flower and how important the flower is to the Vietnamese people it makes me smile.
The Lotus flower lives in warm, fresh water. You can find Lotus flowers in ponds, lakes and rivers around Vietnam. Lotus flowers like nutrient-rich water, so the water Lotus grow in are very muddy.
Lotus flowers grow in shallow and warm waters. Lotus flowers tend to bloom in the summer when the weather is warm. Lotus look like they are floating on water because they have long stems that help them stand above the muddy waters. Lotus flowers enjoy sunlight, so the petals open when the sun rises in the morning and close in the afternoon.
The Lotus plant is eaten by many cultures. In Vietnam, Lotus seeds and stems are eaten while Lotus leaves are used for tea. Lotus flowers are also used in medicine. Cold weather hurts Lotus flowers; they only survive in very warm waters. We are not worried about the Lotus flower because they are not endangered. Lotus flowers are treated very well and are taken care of here.
