Lotus Tracker
A pink lotus flower begins to bloom in the Tranquility Courtyard at Lan Su, June 2025
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Did you know that Lan Su Chinese Garden is the only public place in the entire Pacific Northwest where you can go see lotus flowers (蓮花 lián huā)? It’s true! And it’s a sight you will want to come enjoy every summer once you know this little secret.
July is typically the peak time to view our lotus collection, but blooms often last into September. Keep an eye on this page as we watch the lotus grow in Lake Zither and aquatic pots around the garden!
Lotus Watch Gallery
Note: These images are low resolution for quick loading. Come by in person for the best views!
July 15, 2026
Peak bloom is still around the corner, but dozens of blooms line Lake Zither and emerge from aquatic pots throughout the garden every day. We continue to see new varieties unfold, like one with deeper red petals near Painted Boat in Misty Rain on display today. The dragonflies also remain very happy perched atop the taller buds!
June 24-26, 2026
You’ll now find 60+ new lotus in the lake that were just transferred from our greenhouse. There are new patches of lotus around the Waterside Pavilion (Flowers Bathing in Spring Rain), Moon Locking Pavilion, and Painted Boat in Misty Rain (The Boathouse).
More pink and white blooms continue to pop up around the garden every day!
June 23, 2026
We welcomed our first lotus bloom in Lake Zither—a giant white flower the size of a person’s head! Many other buds along the Terrace look close to opening too.
Over at the teahouse, another lotus flower joins the show.
A fresh bud also appeared in one of the aquatic pots outside of the Hall of Brocade Clouds this week, and we’re guessing it’s another pink flower. Stay tuned!
June 18, 2026
Lots of vibrant and floppy lotus leaves all along the Terrace side of the lake, but still no blooms to see. However, over at the teahouse… the first lotus flower of the season finally blooms! And what a gorgeous set of pink petals! It was the talk of the team all day long at Lan Su as we eagerly directed guests to go see for themselves.
June 16, 2026
Large buds started appearing in the lake, but no flowers yet. A couple of the buds in front of the teahouse are close to popping open!
June 12, 2026
We spotted our first flower bud in the lake this morning! Lotus buds can sometimes stay closed for a couple of weeks, but with temperatures in the 90s (Fahrenheit) expected over the next few days, they may open sooner.
One of the aquatic pots in front of our teahouse also has a cluster of four buds at various heights. The tallest bud is rising 3-4 feet out of the pot!
June 10, 2026
The majority of our current lotus collection grows in Lake Zither along the Terrace in front of the Hall of Brocade Clouds. As of June 10, we are primarily seeing lots of happy green leaves but no flower buds yet. At the time of these photos, a couple of koi were enjoying the shade of the leaves as they rested underneath them like an umbrella.
About Lan Su’s Lotus Collection
From Curator of Horticulture Josie Losh
Lotus can vary in color from pinks to yellows to deep magentas and whites. Every size, color, and form of lotus is represented at Lan Su Chinese Garden.
What’s New This Year
In 2026, we are adding 100 new lotus to our collection and debuting our first-ever event series dedicated to these iconic plants. Be sure to join us July 3 through August 22 for Lian (蓮): The Lotus Festival as we explore the beauty, symbolism, and versatility of these special plants.
We’re excited to add sixteen new varieties of lotus in our koi pond and aquatic pots throughout the garden this summer. We’re also introducing a new species, Nelumbo nucifera, which has not existed in our collection until now and is the most common lotus grown in China.
How Lotus Grow
Each year, the leaves and flower stalks slowly climb from below the mud, up, up, up until they have received enough energy from the sun to start blooming. We have lotus which overwinter in our pond as well as growing in aquatic pots throughout the garden. Our aquatic pots are moved to our greenhouse during the winter so you may notice they have a head start on our pond-planted lotus. But don’t worry, with lots more sun in July and frequent fertilizing, they come into full bloom before long.
Why Dragonflies Love Lotus
Our resident dragonflies love perching on the tops of the lotus petals, which makes for a very gratifying photo. Dragonflies cannot exist in a habitat without clean water and aquatic plants to forage in, and it’s a true honor that we can continue to provide such a habitat. We have enough nooks and crannies that the fish can’t possibly find and eat all the nymphs (which are water-dwelling)!
Want even more lotus legends? Learn about Xi Shi 西施, one of ancient China’s famed Four Beauties and the Flower Immortal (花神 huā shén) of July.