The leaf pad can support three children weighing up to 70 kg each — Kaohsiung’s Lotus Pond introduces the “giant water lily”!

▲ Kaohsiung’s giant water lily. (Photo provided by the Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau)

Reported by Yu  Ru / Compiled by HowToTrip
 
During the peak summer vacation season, the Kaohsiung City Government Tourism Bureau has introduced the “giant water lily” to Lotus Pond for the first time. In conjunction with the current peak butterfly season at the Golden Lion Lake Butterfly Garden, the bureau is specially recommending a “Lotus Viewing & Butterfly Appreciation” city mini-trip this summer. Interested travelers are welcome to come and enjoy the experience.


▲ The leaf pad can bear the weight of three children (50–70 kg). (Photo provided by the Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau)

The Kaohsiung City Government Tourism Bureau stated that in order to enhance the diversity of scenery at Lotus Pond, they have, for the first time this year, planted “giant water lilies” in the lotus pond near the rope skiing area on the southern side of the pond. Currently, the giant water lilies are in full bloom, with leaves reaching a diameter of 150 cm. The “giant water lily” is an aquatic plant belonging to the Nymphaeaceae family. Its large, round leaves float on the water surface, with diameters ranging from 100 to 300 cm. The leaf edges curl upward about 7–10 cm high, and the leaf pad can support the weight of three children (50–70 kg).

For safety reasons, public access to sit on the leaves is not currently allowed, and they are provided only for viewing and photography. When it rains, the giant leaf surfaces catch the falling raindrops, complementing the nearby ancient city walls and the pavilions by the pond, making Lotus Pond in Zuoying exquisitely beautiful. The Tourism Bureau expressed hope that through the cultivation of these water lilies, the scenic beauty of the lush lotus leaves at Zuoying’s Lotus Pond will be further enriched.