The Blue Lotus, more commonly known as the Egyptian Lotus, is a rare sky-blue flower that was cultivated by the Egyptians as early as 1400 B.C. Commonly found in waters off the shores of lakes and rivers, it is often identified by an odd daily ritual.

Each morning its sky-blue aromatic flowers rise above the surface of the water to bloom. After sunset, it folds its' petals and again sinks below the surface.

Despite its use in traditional medicine for more than one thousand years, it was not until an event in 1922 that its popularity gained new ground in western culture.

It was in Egypt, during this year, that the tomb of Tutankhamen (1336 - 1327 B.C.) was opened. Scattered over Tutankhamen's body in deliberate patterns were petals from the Egyptian Lotus. This discovery served as the impetus for new studies and research.

Nymphaea Caerulea (Blue Lotus) is also highly respected and by Indians and in Buddhism.

The resulting evaluations of the flower in ancient Egyptian art and history shed new light on the role of the flower in ancient Egyptian society. Many arrived at the conclusion that it was used as more than a divine symbol and cultural icon. It is now a widely held belief that the Egyptians used the flower as an additive for food, wine, and other drinks.Its original habitat may have been along the Nile and other locations in East Africa. It spread to other locations, however, already in ancient times, like the Indian Subcontinent and Thailand.

The leaves are broadly rounded, 25–40 cm across, with a notch at the leaf stem. The flowers are 10–15 cm diameter. Reports in the literature by persons unfamiliar with its actual growth and blooming cycle have suggested that the flowers open in the morning, rising to the surface of the water, then close and sink at dusk.[citation needed] In fact, the flower buds rise to the surface over a period of two to three days, and when ready, open at approximately 9-9:30am and close about 3pm. The flowers and buds do not rise above the water in the morning, nor do they submerge at night. The flowers have pale bluish-white to sky-blue or mauve petals, smoothly changing to a pale yellow in the centre of the flower.

It was considered extremely significant in Egyptian mythology, since it was said to rise and fall with the sun. Consequently, due to its colorings, it was identified, in some beliefs, as having been the original container, in a similar manner to an egg, of Atum, and in similar beliefs Ra, both solar deities. As such, its properties form the origin of the lotus variant of the Ogdoad cosmogeny. It was the symbol of the Egyptian deity Nefertem