Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' (Mrs. Perry D. Slocum Lotus) care

Light

Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' needs sun on the leaves, not just bright ambient room light. Full sun is essential; give at least 6-8 hours of direct light daily for the heavy double flowers to form and open well. A south or west-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere is the default; anywhere else, expect the plant to stretch and pale out within a season.

Watering

Water nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum' always submerged; keep 15-45 cm of water over the crown. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Grow as a permanent aquatic in a pond or large watertight tub with 15-45 cm of still water above the soil; do not let the tuber dry out.

Soil and pot

Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' grows best in heavy clay loam or aquatic compost. Plant in heavy loam or aquatic soil topped with washed gravel to hold it in place; avoid floaty peat-based mixes that cloud the water. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' sits happiest at around Ambient (aquatic) humidity and 21-30°C (70-86°F). No humidity management needed; the emergent foliage copes with any outdoor air provided the roots stay flooded. If you keep the room above 21 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum' sparingly. Insert aquatic fertiliser tablets into the soil every 3-4 weeks through summer to fuel the large blooms; stop feeding by late summer as growth slows. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Few or small flowers — Usually too little sun, a pot too small for this large variety, or insufficient feed; upsize the container, give full sun and feed regularly.
• Container too small — This is a big cultivar; a cramped pot stunts it and reduces blooming, so use a wide aquatic basket of 30 litres or more.
• Aphid infestation on buds — Water-lily aphids gather on stems and buds; rinse them off with water or briefly submerge stalks rather than using sprays near fish.
• Winter freeze kill — A frozen tuber rots and dies; in cold regions lower the basket below the ice line or lift and store the rhizome cool and damp.

Propagation

Propagate by spring division of the dormant rhizome, ensuring each piece keeps a viable growing tip; named hybrids do not come true from seed. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' is mildly toxic to pets. As a Nelumbo cultivar it is not individually listed on the ASPCA database, so pet status is unconfirmed; treat with caution and verify with a vet before allowing pets to chew or ingest any part. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' watering schedule
• Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' light requirements
• Best soil mix for nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum'
• Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' fertilizing guide
• When to repot nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum'
• How to propagate nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum'
• Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' growth rate & size
• Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' cold hardiness
• Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' temperature & humidity
• Is nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum' toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum' toxic to cats?
• Is nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum' toxic to dogs?
• Getting nelumbo 'mrs. perry d. slocum' to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' qualifies for 3 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• Best fast-growing houseplants — Houseplants documented as fast or vigorous growers — quick to fill a pot, cover a pole or trail down a shelf.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

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Nelumbo 'Mrs. Perry D. Slocum' is also commonly called Mrs. Perry D. Slocum Lotus.

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