Western newspapers are amazed by the scene of lotus harvesting in Vietnam.

"There's nothing quite like watching the lotus harvest in Vietnam," commented Jess McHugh, a writer for The New York Times.

The scene of lotus harvesting in Southern Vietnam was recorded from above. The New York Times of the US was impressed with the lotus harvesting scene, saying that this flower is closely associated with tourism, photography as well as daily life in the river region of Vietnam.

In the Mekong Delta, lotus flowers attract many tourists to come and explore every autumn.

"The scene of farmers in the western region of Vietnam harvesting lotus flowers is gradually becoming a production subject for photographers", The New York Times written on 11/14.

On the other hand, this is also the main product of some tours in the West.

Locals in Tan Lap commune, An Giang, reenact the scene of washing water lilies. Photo: George Steinmetz.

The American daily newspaper describes how local farmers (mostly women) living in the southernmost region of Vietnam will wade into shallow water at dawn to harvest water lilies during a certain period (a few weeks) from August to November.

"Water lilies are quite similar to lotus flowers but are smaller in size and have sharper leaves. The colors are more vivid with purple and dark pink. Over the years, the scene of people waking up early to go to the river/swamp to pick water lilies, arrange them into bundles, wash off the mud right on the river and then load them onto canoes or small boats has been highly appreciated, especially in the field of photography," The New York Times write .

Water lilies are grown year-round, but bloom most abundantly in autumn. The stems are typically 2.3 cm in diameter, up to 1 m tall, and easily take root in rivers, swamps, or ponds. Wild water lilies are usually white. Each flower blooms for only a few hours a day for 3-5 days before fading.

There are about 85 species of this plant in the water lily family, such as the day-flowering nymphaea nouchali or the night-flowering nymphaea rubra. The two most common varieties are found in Africa and Asia.

When the river delta floods, the water lily harvest becomes a popular photo spot for tourists. Photo: George Steinmetz.

According to The New York Times reports that water lilies may be the oldest flowering plant on the planet, as blue water lilies were buried with the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen (circa 1341 BC). Today, the flower, which symbolizes immortality, is used as food and medicine.

Marc Hachadourian, chief curator of greenhouses at the New York Botanical Garden, describes the water lily as smelling like Juicy Fruit gum.

Besides serving photography and tourism products, water lilies are a part of the daily life of people living in the river area. They can be used to decorate houses, decorate flower pots in front of the house or use the stems to prepare dishes.

Thao Phan, owner of a plant shop in Ho Chi Minh City, said lotus flowers also represent resilience.

“After the flower blooms, you think the plant is dead, but it will come back to life. Once you plant it, you will have it forever,” the person told The New York Times .

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