A Summer Chesapeake Delight: American Lotus
It's American lotus blossom season on the Chesapeake. For a few weeks each summer, these incredible blooms grace the surface of some of the shallower creeks and rivers in our area. They are the largest wildflower in North America and well worth seeing, if you can.
The plant's late summer big yellow blooms are amazing, with a beauty that can't be denied. In addition to the blossoms and the huge leaves that float on the water's surface, what's going on below the surface is incredible too. The seeds of these plants drop and lie dormant for extraordinarly long periods of time, up to hundreds of years!
Whether you strap a kayak on top of your car, attend a lotus bloom festival on shore, or paddle with a group such as the excursions offered by Sultana Education Foundation, it's worth a short drive to admire these flowers. They usually peak for just a few weeks. Turner's Creek in Kent County, MD, and Mattawoman Creek in Charles County, MD, are well known for their abudant blossoms.
A Lotus and Water Lilly Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Anacostia Park will take place July 18-20, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Among the many cultural events are live music, yoga, journaling, a scavenger hunt, dance performances, and much more.
This article was orgininally published in 2018 and has been updated.
