A lotus bush or tree (Zizyphus lotus) is a shrub or low tree that grows to a height of about 1.5 meters (5 feet). It has smooth, zigzag branches that are whitish in color. The "lotus plants" in Job 40:21–22 may refer to the lotus bush.
Other scholars believe that the plants in Job refer to large-leafed trees such as the plane tree, Platanus orientalis, or the oleander, Nerium oleander. This idea is based on the belief that the animal described in Job 40 is the hippopotamus. These scholars think it is unlikely that a hippopotamus would live under a lotus bush or even be found in places where this shrub grows. They consider the plane tree or the oleander to be more likely choices.