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The National Lotus Flowers Exhibition kicks off in China, with special one of a kind species, including a lotus flower from space! Let's take a look.

In Chongqing City, the 25th National Lotus Flowers Exhibition is underway. The star attraction this year... a mutant lotus bred in outer space.

There are 43 types of lotuses that have been sent into orbit and over 500 natural lotus species from around the world on display. The lotuses grown in space were bred by Dazu County citizen Luo Dengqiang.

Dengqiang spent over $100,000 US dollars of his own money over the past five years breeding and experimenting.

[Luo Dengqiang, Director, Dazu Lotus Manor]:
"This strain of lotus is called 'Outer Space Sun', which has multi-petals. Before being sent to space the lotus only had one layer of petals, when it returned it mutated into a much larger flower, as big as a platter and had high-quality lotus seed."

He sent 46 strains of the flower into orbit via the Shenzhou VI spacecraft, as well as two satellites.

[Luo Dengqiang, Director, Dazu Lotus Manor]:
"Only three out of the 46 strains of lotus were unsuccessful. Some strains of lotus blossoms for as long as 300 days or 280."

[Tourist]:
"They are beautiful and I have never seen such a beautiful scene before."

The exhibition runs through September 8th.