King lotus leaves enter best viewing season in SW China’s Yunnan

A woman poses for a photo at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the CAS)

Recently, king lotus (Victoria amazonica) leaves have entered their best viewing season at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, attracting flocks of tourists to the park for an amazing experience on top the floating lotus leaves.

Photo shows a king lotus pond in the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the CAS)

The king lotus leave is a famous aquatic plant with a maximum diameter of over 2 meters. The edges of the lotus leaves curl upward, resembling large plates floating on the water. With their strong veins, the leaves have a great buoyancy as they are filled with many small holes, being able to bear up to 60 or 70 kilograms.

The Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the CAS started to introduce seeds of the king lotus leaves from tropical regions in South America in 1963. Nowadays, the plant has become a calling card for the garden. The best time to admire the lotus leaves is from June to October.

A woman poses for a photo while sitting on a king lotus leaf at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the CAS)

Photo shows leaves of king lotus at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the CAS)

A woman poses for a photo on a king lotus leaf at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the CAS)

A woman poses for a photo while sitting on a king lotus leaf at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the CAS)

Photo shows leaves of king lotus at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the CAS)