Pink Lotus Flower

In many Asian cultures, lotus flowers are symbols of peace and enlightenment, and not only due to their gentle beauty. This aquatic flower's seeds are seemingly immortal, able to sit dormant in silty marshes and riverbeds for centuries before conditions allow them to sprout. Easiness on the eyes isn't the lotus' only appeal, as most of the plant is edible either raw or cooked. The lotus tuber is especially distinctive in cuisine: a sizeable rhizome somewhat like a potato with Swiss-cheese holes, it's often fried, pickled, stuffed, or added to soups and stews for a nice crunch.