Last night I joined the local chapter of the Sierra Club for a paddle around Cowan Lake to see the American Lotus in bloom. There are acres of them located along the shores of the eastern portion of the lake! They are simply stunning; the leaves grow up to two feet across and some lie on the surface of the water while others rise as much as two feet above. The flowers are big and showy, creamy yellow and up to ten inches across and are supposed to be the largest American wildflower.American lotus seeds can remain viable for up to four hundred years! The seeds and rhizomes were used by Native Americans as food and it is believed they deliberately spread the plant northward from its original range. In most parts of North America, they will begin to bloom in mid-June to mid-July and will continue to bloom on into autumn.
The 700 acre Cowan Lake is excellent for paddling, as it is restricted to a 10 hp limit. Canoe rentals are available and there is also a Lotus Cove boardwalk trail from which to view the lotuses without getting in the water.
There are lots more photos in my Cowan Lake Paddle set on Flickr
