Aquatic plant in N Italy - help needed - Plant ID

dragnil · 10-05-2009, 04:55 AM

This is my first post and I hope I'm in the right place to seek help. The picture is of an invasive water plant, introduced to lakes around Varese in N Italy. I think it will be a real problem but I don't even know what it is called - can anyone help please?

Thanks in advance,

David

miremonster · 10-05-2009, 07:08 AM

Hello David,
welcome here! That's the Indian lotus, Nelumbo nucifera:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelumbo_nucifera
I'd wish it could grow this pretty here in cold Germany outdoors...
If You are a friend of Asian cooking - You can eat the rhizomes

-Heiko

dragnil · 10-05-2009, 07:16 AM

Thanks, Heiko, I agree now that I've seen your link - the seed pods are very distinctive. Let's hope for cold weather in Italy because this is a real thug of a plant and I really can't see a way of getting rid of it. I hope that's not upsetting any forum members but introduced species cause so much trouble and the whole ecology of the lake is being altered.

Google Earth will give an idea of how vigorous this is!

Thanks again for your swift help.

David

miremonster · 10-05-2009, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Let's hope for cold weather in Italy because this is a real thug of a plant and I really can't see a way of getting rid of it.

Perhaps by collecting and selling the rhizomes?
Cold winters apparently don't harm very much the lotus if the vegetation period is long and warm. It occurs also in continental climate with hard winters but hot summers, e.g. in the Wolga delta in Russia and in North China.
-I've read that several other interesting aquatic plants occur in N Italy, partly introduced from Asia in connection with the rice cultivation, e.g. Eriocaulon cinereum, Rotala indica and Ottelia alismoides. Also the rare Isoetes malinverniana occurs in Your country.

dragnil · 10-05-2009, 07:52 AM

Yes, perhaps the answer is to eat it!
I am no botanist (that's why I'm asking questions) and I'm not in Italy although I often wish that I was.
I help with bird conservation in Italy but I'm in the UK. I saw the lotus last month when visiting colleagues and it is horrifying to see the changes it has caused to the natural environment.
If anyone would like a few tonnes just let me know!

miremonster · 10-05-2009, 08:34 AM

Hello David,
ok; I mentioned these species because they are also interesting for Aquarium cultivation.

The tips (buds) of the dormant lotus rhizomes are very fragile, and when they are broken away, the rhizome is often unable to sprout in the next spring and dies off (that makes transplantation of lotus rhizoms difficult). Perhaps also this feature could provide a facility for any method to control the invasive lotus.