The flower symbolism associated with the lotus is estranged love and forgetfulness of the past. The lotus is the national flower of India. The blue or Indian lotus, also known as the bean of India and the sacred water-lily of Hinduism and Buddhism. Lotus roots are also used widely in Asian cooking. The English name is derived from the flower name, from Latin lotus, from Greek lotos, a name for various kinds of plants before it came to designate the Egyptian "white lotus." The Greek word may ultimately come from Hebrew lowt, meaning "covering, veil." These bulbs are sold to bloom over the winter holidays to bloom as spring arrives.