Blue Lotus extract 10:1, made from Nymphaea caerulea
Despite the name, blue lotus is not a lotus at all. It is a water lily, Nymphaea caerulea, part of the Nymphaeaceae family, and the true Asian lotus is a different plant altogether (Nelumbo nucifera). The species is native to the Nile valley and parts of East Africa, where it grows in shallow ponds and canals. Its flowers open in the morning and close again towards evening, a rhythm the ancient Egyptians read as an echo of the rising sun. That is why the flower turns up so often on temple reliefs, in tombs and on papyrus, and why it was linked to Nefertem, the god pictured with flowers and perfume.
What you get here is a 10:1 extract of the flower, so a considerable amount of plant material went into every gram. The pack contains 3 grams. Blue lotus is usually associated with the alkaloids apomorphine and nuciferine, although laboratory analyses of commercial lotus products report widely varying amounts between batches and suppliers. Treat strength as variable rather than fixed.
How to use this extract
Tea and wine are the two traditional preparations. With loose petals people tend to use 5 to 10 grams; this extract is ten times as concentrated, so the amounts are much smaller.
- Stir roughly half a gram to a gram of extract into a cup of hot water and leave it for a few minutes.
- Or let the same amount steep in a glass of wine for a couple of hours, then strain.
- Keep the rest dry, dark and out of reach of children.
What you do with herbs stays your own responsibility. Start small, and do not combine them with medication.
More herb extracts
At Avalon Magic Plants you will find more extracts from the same range, including Nymphaea alba 12:1 (White Lily), Pink Lotus 50X made from Nelumbo nucifera and Motherwort extract 12:1. Everything is packed discreetly.
