Lotus roots are the enlarged underground stem of water chestnuts.They mainly grow in the Yangtze River Basin and southern provinces, and can be harvested in autumn, winter, and early spring.The lotus root is short and cylindrical, with a thick, smooth, grayish-white or silvery-gray outer skin, and a white interior.At the nodes, it is enlarged centrally, containing several rows of pores arranged symmetrically left to right.It is relatively heavy in weight, soft and tender. In China, edible cultivated lotus roots can be divided into two major categories: the first category is for breeding purposes.
