The lotus grows when the sun is out, and often flowers in the early morning to greet the sun. It needs ten hours of sunlight per day. Those who grow water lilies for a living say that the stronger the sun, the more fragrant the flowers.
荷花「晚含而曉放」，日出而起，在清晨迎著朝陽開花，一天需要十幾個小時日照；種睡蓮的花農也說，陽光越強，睡蓮越香。