The eatuflos plant is one that is cultivated on Balance native to the planet's temperate wetlands dotting the otherwise placid waters. The large beautiful cyan-veined neon green flowers are considered beautiful by many though as they only bloom seasonally the majority of the plant spends most of the year submerged in the fresh waters in which it grows.
The main body of the plant grows as a semi-buoyant bulb anchored to the mud at the bottom the body of water in which it grows by its long roots. Along the lengths of its roots and from the bulb proper several stalks grow attached to gas filled bulbs which help lift the leaves toward the surface of the water making the individual plants fairly extensive.
During the flowering season a buoyant bulb grows from the centre of the bulb eventually unfurling into a lily-like pad on the surface of the water which serves as the platform upon which the large and elaborate flowers grow.
The plant is cultivated both as a decorative flower in water gardens but also as a pharmaceutical plant which is refined to produce many medicinal products as well as forming the basis of the Ingenue drug. When grown for aesthetic reasons the plants are usually cultivated in isolated tanks before being relocated to their intended display location. This initial rearing allows for the plants to have a staggered blooming cycle allowing for at least one individual to be in full bloom at any point of the year.
For commercial purposes the plants are typically grown in large groups in either natural wetlands or man made pools. In either application the water supply is typically monitored and adjusted to encourage optimal growth, while growth hormones and nutrients are added to the water supply. In both artificial enclosures and natural wetland environments workers typically maintain the plants manually, swimming beneath the surface to work, pruning excess growth in order to encourage a greater dedication of nutrients to the bulb and flower by the plant as it matures.
For harvesting the flowers and bulbs are typically clipped and netted from boats allowing for rapid harvesting of the many individual plants.
The origin of the plant is thought to be a lotus variety originally brought to the terrarium colony that would later develop into the Balance kingdoms. Whether the plant was initially cultivated for beauty or its pharmaceutical properties is unclear in historical records however it has long been prized by those who could afford to cultivate it being a symbol of the wealthy due to both its fresh water and space needs to properly develop.
In more contemporary history the plant has remained popular being cultivated in many aquatic gardens in both public and private locations. Notable however is the increase in mass cultivation within the last century as the kingdoms, particularly Felsal, have dedicated large work forces to the cultivation, refinement, and distribution of the products made from the plant among Balance society. To this end the once rare and exotic plant has become almost ubiquitous in many of the cities of Balance.
Written by Eistheid