User blog comment:Xilinoc/Ch. 554 - Desperate Lights/@comment-5695542-20131024123543/@comment-26420452-20131024203749

It's always been 3 ice lotuses (although they disappear in a lot of scenes). I think that the Bankai training Hitsugaya's done hasn't managed to make them go altogether, just keep them longer. Even after such a strain, he has all his 12 petals now.