The main thing about growing daffodils: varieties, planting and care. Amaryllidaceae Vegetative propagation of perennial plants of the amaryllidaceae family
Today we are opening a series of articles devoted to plant rarities, as well as species, forms, and varieties that are still not very common in summer cottages. Let's start getting acquainted with them with bulbous and corm plants.
Krinum Mura - snow-white beauty, photo by the author
Despite the visual similarity of the underground organs and linear leaves, they are all representatives of different families:
- Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllidaceae);
- Iris (Iridaceae);
Sternbergia yellow - autumn miracle, photo by the author
- Hyacinths (Hyacinthaceae);
- Liliaceae (Liliaceae);
- Alliums (Alliaceae);
- Asphodelineaceae (Asphodelaceae);
- Colchicaceae (Colchicaceae).
Today we will pay attention to rare perennial plants of the Amaryllis family.
Amaryllis is beautiful
Luxurious look for open ground in the southern regions; critical winter minimum -5 °C (data given from the Encyclopedia of garden plants).
Amaryllis is beautiful. Photo from amazon.com. Amaryllis beautiful Barberton. Photo from deeproot.co.uk
Amaryllis belladonna originally from South Africa. Height – 60 cm, width – 10 cm. Leaves are 22-40 cm long. Flowers are funnel-shaped, pink, drooping; bloom in spring or summer.
Amaryllis beautiful Cape Town. Photo from deeproot.co.uk Amaryllis beautiful Hathor. Photo from mainlyamaryllidsgarden.com
Decorative varieties:
- ‘Barberton’ – dark pink flowers;
- ‘Cape Town’ – dark pink-red flowers;
- ‘Hathor’ – white flowers;
- ‘Johannesburg’ – light pink flowers;
- ‘Kimberley’ – carmine pink flowers with a white center.
Amaryllis beautiful Johannesburg. Photo from gardenersworld.com. Amaryllis beautiful Kimberley. Photo from google.ru
For amaryllis, open sunny places with drained fertile soils are selected. They are covered for the winter; when planting in containers, they are brought into the basement.
Gabranthus powerful
This is a relative of the zephyranthes, from which it differs in flowers located at an angle to the peduncle.
Gabranthus powerful, general appearance. Photo from flickriver.com. Bloom. Photo from edensblooms.com
Powerful Gabranthus (Habranthus robustus, syn. Zephyranthes robusta) originally from Brazil. Height – 20-30 cm, width – 5 cm. Winter minimum – 0°C. Best grown in containers.
Hymenocallis elegant
Exotic bulbous plant.
Hymenocallis is elegant, general appearance. Photo from cjzonneveld.com. Flowers. Photo from thompson-morgan.com
Hymenocallis x festalis- a hybrid 80 cm high, 30 cm wide, which has already been tested on the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory (hereinafter referred to as ChPKK), in sunny places with loose, drained soil rich in organic matter. In other regions it is better to grow it in containers (critical winter minimum +15 ° C). Blooms from late spring.
Hippeastrum hybrid
It can be grown (with shelter) in the open ground of ChPKK and on the Southern Coast of Crimea (hereinafter referred to as the South Coast).
Hippeastrum hybrid in open ground. Photo from the site glav-dacha.ru Hippeastrum hybrid in a flowerbed. Photo from the site vasha-klumba.ru
Hippeastrum x hybridum- these are dozens of varieties 30-50 cm high and up to 30 cm wide. A large bulb forms a nest of daughter bulbs, separating and growing which, they obtain excellent planting material.
More winter-hardy (winter minimum 0 °C) Acraman (H. x acramannii).
Hippeastrum acraman. Photo from s215.photobucket.com
Hippeastrums are undemanding to soils; Choose open sunny places for planting.
Zephyranthes
This name hides several types of bulbous plants with different flower colors. Fans of indoor floriculture know them as “upstarts”, but in the open ground they are real rarities, blooming in late summer - early autumn.
Zephyranthes white. Photo from easytogrowbulbs.com. His drawing. Photo from meemelink.com
Zephyranthes candida originally from Argentina, Uruguay; height - 10-20 cm, width - 8 cm. Withstands -5 ° C, so in the southern regions it can be left uncovered, but in other regions it can be grown in containers or well covered with humus and dry leaves.
Lemon zephyranthes, photo by Svetlana (Samdolis)
Z. grandiflora, syn. Z. carinata) native to Central America.
Zephyranthes grandiflora. Website photo from davesgarden
Height - 20-30 cm, width -5 cm. The flowers are pink, 7 cm long. It is thermophilic, so it is better to grow in containers.
Ixiolirion tartaris
Charming cold handsome man!
Ixiolirion tartaris. Photo from en.wikipedia.org. Drawing of a plant. Photo from ru.wikipedia.org
Tatarian Ixiolirion (Ixiolirion tataricum, syn. I. montanum, I. pallasii) native to Central and South-West Asia. Height – 24-40 cm, width – 5 cm. Bright blue flowers bloom in late spring – early summer. In central Russia it requires shelter (-15 °C is the overwintering ceiling). Propagated by daughter corms in the fall.
Krinum
Several evergreen representatives with large bulbs.
Krinum Moore, photo by the author
Crinum moorei– unpretentious, but heat-loving species: critical winter minimum 0°C. Height – 90 cm, width – 30 cm, white fragrant flowers 8 cm long; he is originally from South Africa. To maintain maximum decorative value, it is necessary to remove faded flowers in a timely manner.
Powell's Crinum x powellii– more winter-hardy: with shelter it will survive -15 °C.
Crinum Powell. Photo from turn-it-tropical.co.uk. White-flowered form Alba. Photo from ontheedgegardening.wordpress.com
Height – 1.5 m, width – 30 cm; funnel-shaped pink fragrant flowers up to 10 cm long. Decorative form ‘Alba’ (white flowers). Both species can be grown in containers in dachas in central Russia.
Krinum Mura in a rock garden, photo by the author
A big plus is the long flowering, which continues into the warm autumn.
Golden lycoris
An exquisite bulbous plant native to China and Japan. The winter minimum is within -5°C, we have already discussed the possibility of overwintering it: How realistic is it to overwinter lycoris in the middle zone?
Golden lycoris. Photo from google.ru
Golden lycoris (Lycoris aurea)– up to 60 cm high, 20 cm wide. The flowers are tubular, bright yellow, 10 cm in diameter, collected in groups of 5-6, bloom from late spring to summer. Blooms in a leafless state; preferably an open sunny place with well-drained fertile soils; does not tolerate waterlogging.
Nerina
Unusually graceful autumn flowering plants.
Nerina Bowden. Photo from google.ru. Its white-flowered alba form. Photo from jparkers.co.uk
Nerine bowdenii native to South Africa, but its winter minimum is -15 °C. Height – 45 cm, width – 8 cm. Pink flowers, 8 cm in diameter. Decorative form f. alba (white flowers).
Nerina flexuosa (N. flexuosa)– “countrywoman” of the previous species with the same parameters and white-flowered form.
Nerina is twisted. Photo from growsonyou.com. Its white-flowered form is Alba. Photo from dobies.co.uk
Nerines are very interesting for the ChPKK and the South Coast; in other regions they can be grown in containers. They cannot tolerate overwatering: the bulbs rot.
Pancratium, or pancratium Illyrian
Still rare “star lily” or “spider lily”.
Pancratium Illyrian, photo by the author
Pancratium illyricum comes from Corsica, Sardinia. Height – 40 cm, width – 15 cm; white flowers up to 8 cm in diameter, fragrant, bloom in late spring - early summer; When they fade, they are removed. The winter minimum is 0°C, so it can be recommended for ChPKK and South Coast with fertile loose soils and shelter. Responsive to fertilizing and watering. Propagated by daughter bulbs.
Sternbergia
In the south in October, this beauty suddenly appears from the ground.
Yellow Sternbergia, photo by the author
Yellow Sternbergia (Sternbergia lutea) grows naturally from Spain to Afghanistan. Height – 15 cm, width – 8 cm.
Sternbergia snow-white. Photo from pacificbulbsociety.org. Sternbergia Clusius. Photo from wildflowers.co.il.
More rare sh. snow-white (Sternbergia candida) - the only species with white flowers, w. Clusius (S. clusiana) and others.
Do you have rare amaryllis growing in your dacha?
In this archive you will find articles about caring for ornamental flowering plants of the amaryllis family. These are truly some of the most magnificent flowers known to man.
The Amaryllidaceae family has 70 genera and about 1000 species. They are found on all continents except Antarctica. The family is represented by perennial herbaceous, usually bulbous, rarely corm plants. They prefer the tropics, subtropics, where they grow at the foot of the mountains, found at an altitude of 4000 m above sea level, only some species grow in a temperate climate. Many representatives are cultivated and are valuable due to their very beautiful flowers. Flowers of various shapes and colors appear on a leafless peduncle and are collected in umbrella inflorescences.
Amaryllis, hippeastrum, clivia, eucharis, nerine, hemanthus, zephyranthes are bright representatives of the Amaryllidaceae family.
How to care for plants of the amaryllis family
- For indoor growing, south-east and south-west windows with shading during the midday hours are suitable.
- In summer, the air temperature in the room with the plant is required at 28º C. During the dormant period, lower it to 18-20º C.
- Provide air humidity of at least 60%.
- The soil needs to be light, with good water and breathability.
- A container must have a narrow top and a wide bottom with drainage holes.
- Always water moderately; stop watering in winter.
- During the period of active growth, apply complex mineral fertilizers (a mixture of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus).
- In the garden, choose a sunny area. Water moderately, loosen the soil, remove weeds.
At the beginning of the growing season, feed with organic matter, then apply complex mineral fertilizers.
For the winter, you need to dig up the bulbs and store them in a cool room until spring. Daffodils can overwinter in open ground - mulch the soil with fallen leaves.
Amaryllis seed propagation is possible, but such plants will bloom in the 7-8th year of life. Vegetative propagation is most often used. In this case, expect flowering in the 3-4th year.
Amaryllis family
2019/04/12
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2018/05/09
“Whoever has two loaves of bread, let him sell one to buy a narcissus flower, for bread is food for the body, and narcissus is food for the soul” - these are the words of Mohammed about this beautiful plant. Indeed, those who like to grow...
2017/12/21
Nerine is a perennial bulbous plant belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. Its natural habitat is South Africa. The diameter of the bulb is 3-5 cm. The leaves are linear, flat, colored dark green. The peduncle is thin, but stable, reaching a height...
2017/12/18
Zephyranthes is a perennial plant native to South America and the West Indies. Prefers wet places, peat bogs, and swamps of tropical forests. The growing season occurs at the time when the wind Zephyr begins to blow - hence the official name of the plant, popularly...
2017/08/28
Vallota (lat. Vallota) is a flowering plant belonging to the Amaryllis family, originating from South Africa. In nature alone there are approximately 60 names. Named after Pierre Vallot, who was engaged in botany. One of the best qualities of a flower is its ease of care, so flower growers are happy to…
2017/08/25
Among tropical decorative flowers that immediately attract attention, Clivia deservedly holds the first position. There is the simplest explanation for this: its unpretentiousness, ease of care and very lush, bright flowering at the end of winter are captivating, capable of adding its own notes...
2017/08/16
Hemanthus (also known as deer tongue) is an evergreen plant belonging to the bulbous genus, the amaryllis family. The shape of the leaves of the hemanthus resembles the tongue of a deer, which determined its name. Hemanthus translated from Greek means “bloody...
2017/07/08
Crinum is a plant belonging to the Amaryllis family, a genus of bulbous plants. Resident of the tropics and subtropics. Systematically flooded soils are most favorable, so the flower loves the sea coast, lake and river floodplains and swamps. There are species that have established themselves in the Cape region of South Africa....
2017/06/30
Amaryllis is a popular indoor plant that is found in the flower collections of many gardeners. Demanded for its beautiful flowers and easy care. To make amaryllis feel comfortable in an apartment, you don’t need to try too hard. This task will be…
Includes 65 genera, 900 species.
Spreading: predominantly tropical and subtropical countries. Life Forms: perennial herbaceous plants.
Underground organs: bulbs, rhizomes, rarely corms.
Aboveground shoots: the stem is represented by a leafless peduncle.
Leaves:
In the root rosette;
Simple;
Often the leaves are linear or thread-like;
Sessile, rarely petiolate. The venation is arcuate. The leaves are covered with a waxy coating. The leaves often contain mucilage.
Flowers: collected in inflorescences: umbrella, curl or single flowers.
Galanthus snowy
Pollination: entomophilous (insects - butterflies, bees, bumblebees), ornithophilous (birds), self-pollination possible.
Fetus: coenocarpous (dehiscent capsule or berry).
Dioscorea nipponensis - Dioscorea nipponica
Seed distribution: the wind tingles with animals. Meaning.
■ Medicinal.
■ Decorative.
Ungernia Victor - Ungernia Victoris
Life form - bulbous plant. Medical value (medicinal raw materials) - leaves. The main group of biologically active substances are alkaloids. Pharmacological action - treatment of myasthenia gravis, myopathies, paralysis, hypertension.
Order Dioscoreales
Refers to several families.
Family Dioscoreaceae
Includes 6 genera, 700 species.
Spreading: mainly in tropical and subtropical countries,
few species enter the temperate region.
Life Forms: perennial herbaceous plants, shrubs, vines.
Underground organs: tubers, rhizomes.
Leaves: simple, rarely complex (tripartite and five-fingered).
The leaves are often long-petiolate.
The venation is palmate.
Leaf arrangement: alternate or opposite.
Flowers: mostly in inflorescences: raceme, spike.
Pollination: entomophilous (insects).
Fetus:
Seed distribution: air currents, water.
Meaning.
■ Medicinal.
Ecological significance - decorative.
Life form is a perennial herbaceous dioecious liana.
Medical value (medicinal raw materials) - rhizomes with roots.
Pharmacological action: hypocholesterolemic.
Dioscorea Caucasica - Dioscorea caucasica
Life form - perennial herbaceous
dioecious liana.
Medical value (medicinal raw materials) - rhizomes with roots.
The main group of biologically active substances are steroid saponins.
Pharmacological action - hypocholesterolemic.
Order Orchidaceae - Orchidales
Belongs to 1 family.
Orchid family - Orchidaceae
Includes 750 genera, 25,000 species.
Spreading: everywhere (cosmopolitans), but 90% of the species composition is in tropical countries.
Life Forms: perennial herbaceous plants, vines, shrubs. Often achlorophyllous saprophytes. Underground organs: rhizomes, tubers, tuber roots.
Aboveground shoots: The stem is most often characterized by sympodial growth, but monopodial growth is also found. Leaves: simple, vaginal or stem-encompassing. There are two types of leaves on the shoot: scale-like and normal. Leaf arrangement: alternate-two-row or opposite. Flowers: collected in botryoid inflorescences: spike, raceme, panicle, sometimes single flowers.
Pollination: entomophilous (insects), ornithophilous (birds), possibly
self-pollination.
Fetus: coenocarp: capsule or berry.
Seed dispersal : wind, animals, ants.
Meaning.
■ Medicinal.
■ Food (underground organs of some plants of the Orchis genus).
■ Honey-bearing.
Economic value (dyeing for fabrics - yellow color).
Genus Orchis - Orchis
Life form - perennial herbaceous
plant.
Medical significance
(medicinal raw materials) - tubers.
The main group of biologically active substances is polysaccharides (mucus).
Pharmachologic effect -
enveloping.
Lady's slipper - Cypripedium
Life form is a perennial herbaceous plant. Economic value: decorative.
Lyubka bifolia (night violet)- Platanthera bifolia
Life form - perennial
herbaceous plant.
Honey-bearing.
Edible (underground parts are edible).
Used in cosmetology (flowers).
The genus Crinum belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family, which includes up to 70 genera and at least 1000 species, distributed in the tropics and subtropics of all continents except Antarctica. The genus Krinum is the largest in the family and includes, according to various estimates, from 100 to 170 species. Approximately 80 species grow in tropical Africa, about 10 species in South Africa, more than 20 species in tropical Asia, at least 10 in tropical America, and about 10 species grow in Australia and Polynesia.
Over a long period of evolution, crinums of different species have adapted to living in a wide variety of conditions. They can be found in the mountains at altitudes over 1000 meters above sea level, they grow in deserts and on sea coasts, and a considerable part of the species choose swamps and river banks as their place of residence. And finally, few
species have adapted to living in rivers and lakes up to desalinated lagoons.
According to modern estimates, there are from 10 to 14 species of aquatic crinum, but ongoing research can either reduce this number by synonymizing a number of apparently different forms, or increase it by describing new species not yet known to science.
Krinum Thai
Regardless of their habitat, all crinums have a number of common characteristics. These are long, ribbon-shaped leaves in aquatic species or lanceolate in terrestrial species with dense coverings, which, when damaged, release a large amount of mucus rich in alkaloids. These are quite large flowers - from white and yellow to intense pink and purple - flowers collected in an umbrella inflorescence on a stalk up to a meter long. In plants of different species, the inflorescence has from 2 to 50 long-tubular flowers with 6 petals and a bunch of 6 long stamens with large anthers (sometimes brightly colored) and one pistil.
All crinums, both aquatic and terrestrial, have multi-scaled bulbs. In aquatic species, the thickenings in the lower part of the stem are usually less pronounced. They rather resemble a tube formed by the bases of the leaves. The roots are powerful, slightly branching, succulent, from white to brown, depending on the nature of the soil and growing conditions.
Currently, three species of aquatic crinums and several of their forms with unclear taxonomic status are cultivated in our country. The first to enter our country was Crinum thaianum, or Thai crinum, in 1967, the second was Crinum natans, or floating crinum, in 1972. The addition of these species to our collection of aquarium plants is the merit of Mark Davidovich Makhlin. And finally, about ten years later, Crinum calamistratum, or curly crinum, appeared, imported by D. Nekrasov.
All three species are excellent aquarium plants, unpretentious and durable, although suitable only for large ones and are practically not damaged by fish, even herbivores; the powerful root system reliably fixes the plant in the ground, which makes it possible to keep burrowing fish together with them - these features expand the possibility of their use in the design of problem aquariums.
Crinum thaianum J. Schulze, 1971. First marketed before scientific description under the commercial name Crinum aquatica.
In nature, it lives in the rivers of southern Thailand. The bulb is round, in older specimens up to 7 cm in diameter, much thicker than the light elongated base of the rosette of leaves. The leaves are light green with straight edges and a slightly convex narrow midrib, up to 3 meters long and 1.5-2.5 cm wide. The apex of the leaf is short-pointed.
Crinum floating
A strong mature bush can bear up to 15 leaves. They can be straight, like those of the giant Vallisneria, twisted into a loose spiral around the central vein, or corkscrew-shaped. The status of these forms is unclear; it is not yet known whether this trait is inherited or not; their origin has not been established: it is quite possible that they are geographical races. In batches of this type from Singaporean suppliers of aquarium plants, they are found all together and there are no clear boundaries between them.
Crinum natans Baker, 1898. In cultivation since 1966. It lives in the rivers of West Africa from Guinea to Cameroon and south to Zaire. The bulb looks only like a thickening of the base of a rosette of leaves up to 4.5 cm in diameter, pin-shaped. The leaves are dark green with a powerful light central vein, convex on both sides, occupying up to a third of the leaf width. In intense light, young leaves are brownish, but turn green over time. The edges of the leaf are smoothly wavy, the apex is gradually pointed. Leaf length is up to 1.5 m, width - 1.5-5 cm. A strong adult specimen can bear up to 20-25 leaves.
Just like the Thai crinum, this species has a number of forms that differ in the nature of the leaves. There are forms with narrow and wide leaves, and others smoothly curled along the central vein. Perhaps the most decorative is Crinum natans f. 4"torta", in which the lateral parts of the leaf blade are often and finely corrugated, as if compressed along the central vein. Apparently, it is this variation that Singaporean aquarium plant supply companies call Crinum aquatica. And in this case of variability we are most likely dealing with geographical races, although perhaps the morals of I.Nordal and R.Wahlstrom (A study of the genus Crinum (Amaryllidaceae) in Cameroon. Adansonia. ser.2, 20\2 \ 179-198, 1980), suggesting that in this case we are dealing with natural hybrids that arose between crinum species growing nearby.
Crinum calamistratum Bogner et Heine, 1987. It was introduced into culture even before its scientific description under the name Crinum natans "crispus". This delightful species is native to the rivers of western Cameroon. The bulb is weakly expressed. up to 3 cm in diameter. The leaves are dark green, consisting of a powerful central vein and narrow, strongly wavy lateral parts of the leaf blade up to 2 m long and no more than 0.7 cm wide, hard and fragile. A mature bush can have up to 40 leaves, although usually fewer. No clear variations have yet been identified in this species.
Crinums reproduce in nature and botanical gardens mainly by seeds, and in aquariums vegetatively, although with a water column of up to 50 cm they bloom quite easily. An adult bush gives birth to babies inside the mother's bulb or close to it. Children grow slowly, especially if there are many of them, and they can be separated only after the formation of 5-7 leaves and at least 2-3 roots. Otherwise, they will either die or be sick for a long time and develop extremely slowly. The most prolific is S. calamistratum; sometimes a strong bush bears up to 20 children of different ages. The other two species give birth to 1-3 children at a time, and they develop more slowly. If the first species sometimes begins to reproduce already in the second or third year, then it is not worth waiting for the offspring of others earlier than 5-6 years.
Crinum curly
The growing conditions for these three species and their variations in aquarium culture are the same, despite the fact that in nature they live in different places, differing not only geographically, but also in environmental parameters.
Crinums are extremely unpretentious to the chemical composition of water; they grow approximately equally in both soft acidic water and hard, slightly alkaline water. Both old water that is rarely replaced and fresh water that is regularly replaced are suitable.
Illumination should be moderate; They can withstand weak ones, but they slow down their already leisurely growth and are quite content with incandescent lamps or fluorescent tubes of the LB type. The use of spectral lamps or special lamps is justified only in aquariums with a depth of more than 50 cm.
Temperature from 22 to 35°C. At the lower limit of temperature, the growth of the plant practically stops, but it does not die, and at high temperatures it is necessary to increase the light and feed with CO2, otherwise the lower leaves begin to die and the plant becomes very weak, followed by long-term rehabilitation. At 24-26°C there is no need for additional feeding of CO2 - the amount released by aquatic organisms and supplied from the atmosphere is quite sufficient.
Foliar feeding (applying liquid fertilizers to water) is ineffective, since the lion's share of minerals is absorbed by the roots. In addition, the slightest overdose of fertilizers can lead to disruption of the biological balance in the aquarium and provoke the massive development of algae,
from which the leaves of crinums suffer greatly and begin to die, and in any case their decorative effect disappears for a long time.
The greatest attention when growing crinums requires handling of the roots. The powerful but fragile roots of these plants do not like transplantation and are afraid of rotting.
Any damage to the roots will stunt the plant's growth, so be patient when adding the plant to your aquarium. When planting, you need to make sure that only the very base of the bulb is buried in the soil.
Before a plant can begin to grow, it must rebuild its root system, and this takes time.
The most suitable soil is river screening of 3-6 mm. Due to the powerful root system, the soil layer should be at least 8-10 cm, but this is not worth it, as it will be difficult to avoid silting in the lower layers. You can also plant in pots, but they must be large to avoid frequent replanting or compaction of the root ball, which leads to inevitable rotting of the roots with all the ensuing consequences.
For the same reason, heavy siltation of the soil is unacceptable. It is good to add some activated carbon under the roots, which will save the roots from rotting. It is best to fertilize with special soil fertilizers for aquariums, for example Tetra Plant or Sera florenette A.
You can also use laterite, natalite and vulcanite, which are now regularly on sale, but since in this case it is more difficult to maintain the correct dosages, you need to be very careful. The main rule: be careful with the roots, and success is guaranteed.
Crinum purpurascens.
Distributed in water bodies of Central and South America, found in Brazil and western
regions of India.
Very similar to crinum floating, but much smaller.
Leaves are usually up to 30 cm long and 3 cm wide; the main vein protrudes slightly. The flowers are white to purple-red.
Grow the plant in a tropical aquarium with a low water level, in a bright place.
The water should be soft, temperature 20 - 30° C.
Amaryllis is a large family of monocots, including about two thousand varieties. The main part of them are herbaceous types of flowers. They have an aesthetic appearance, for which they are very fond of flower growers in European countries. In addition to decorative purposes, some plant species are used in medicine and cooking.
In this article we will look at the amaryllis family, photos and the main features of its representatives.
Homeland of the family
Amaryllis is native to South Africa. In this part of the hottest continent, nature comes to life only for a couple of months a year. This period occurs in July and August. It is at this time that the arid southern part of Africa receives abundant rain. The soil is saturated with moisture, and the bulbs of the plant of the amaryllis family acquire buds.
It is remarkable that in such a short time the desert terrain of South Africa is being transformed. The landscape is covered with a colorful carpet of all kinds of flowers and grasses. Among this abundance of vegetation, large flowers stand out. On a massive thick stem, which can reach 60 centimeters in height, there are inflorescences formed from buds of various colors. A flower of the amaryllis family can have a different shape and shade depending on what species it belongs to. It can be white, burgundy, or pink.
general description
The Amaryllidaceae family includes about seventy genera of bulbous plants. It is interesting that, although the historical homeland of this culture is South Africa, this did not prevent it from spreading widely to all continents. Some members of the amaryllis family are found even in temperate climates. These include daffodils and snowdrops. However, most species of the amaryllis family grow in tropical and subtropical zones.
Most heat-loving species can be grown in apartment conditions. These include hippeastrum, clivia, vorsleya and rhodophiala. The main reason for the fame of the amaryllis family lies in their unusual inflorescences. They have a very aesthetic and beautiful appearance, thanks to which they can fit into any interior. Buds can be collected in several pieces. There are also plants with single flowers.
Amaryllis grows in the southern part of the African continent. An interesting fact is that gardeners often mistake it for another plant - hippeastrum. This crop is very similar in appearance to the amaryllis family, but grows on the American continent. This caused some confusion, and therefore the International Botanical Congress put forward certain recommendations in the mid-20th century.
- All amaryllis found in South Africa can be combined into one species - beautiful amaryllis.
- All subspecies growing on the American continent are classified as hippeastrum.
However, for many years, clivias and many other bulbous flowers were also called amaryllis. Therefore, to this day, often in descriptions of the characteristics of the amaryllis family one can see the name hippeastrum as a synonym for this type of plant.
Description of the bulb
The bulb is the key element of the plant. The life of amaryllis begins with it. The ripe bulb has a pear-shaped shape. As it grows, it acquires a brownish tint and is large in size. It can reach 12-13 centimeters in diameter. A distinctive feature of the amaryllis family bulb is that the “babies” grow from its center, and not from the edges, as happens in other related crops.
Appearance of leaves
Many people who see amaryllis for the first time may think that this plant lacks foliage. But it still exists. The leaves of members of the amaryllis family are long and grooved in shape. Their color varies from light green to deep dark. The bush has a peculiar structure. Leaves grow from the root, not from the petioles. This culture does not have them. One of its main features is the death of leaves during the dormant period. This can only be observed in hybrid types. If we consider other species, their foliage remains all year round.
What is a peduncle
Before the start of the most beautiful period, the arrow with buds is released. The size of the peduncle directly depends on the parameters of the bulb, in particular its age. Also important factors are the conditions under which amaryllis grows. If the bulb is sufficiently developed, the peduncle can reach a size of 55-60 centimeters. It has a dense, fleshy structure and is not hollow inside. During the growth period, the peduncle is always directed towards the light. In order for it to have the correct, even shape, the container with the plant is regularly rotated around its axis. The arrow is removed only after the seeds have completely ripened.
Some lovers of indoor plants immediately after the first bud opens, cut off the peduncle and place it in a container of water. It is noteworthy that the remaining flowers on it fully bloom and are capable of existing no less than on the plant. The shoot is cut off so that the bulb has the opportunity to produce a new one. However, using this method, it will not be possible to obtain amaryllis seeds.
Seeds of the amaryllis family, general characteristics
After the flower petals fall, boxes are formed in their place, in which the seeds are located. They initially have a rich green color and are triangular in shape. They consist of 3 chambers, where the process of seed ripening occurs. This period lasts at least 1 month. Each chamber contains up to 18-20 seeds. Their color varies from white to pale red. For this, gardeners often compare them to pomegranate seeds. Amaryllis seeds become unusable very quickly, so it is recommended not to delay planting them after collection.
Flower
It is large in size and can reach 10 centimeters in diameter. The flowers form umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Each of them can have up to 10-12 buds. In the wild, growing in South Africa, amaryllis can often have a simple shape, with 6 petals forming a funnel. At the same time, breeders every year breed more and more new hybrid species of this plant, where you can see flowers of various sizes with a rich palette of colors.
How to plant and propagate
This plant with spreading leaves and a high peduncle has insufficient resistance. Therefore, experts recommend using large containers during replanting. An important point when choosing a pot for amaryllis is its special shape. The container should be narrowed at the top and widen at the bottom. This will provide the necessary stability to the pot. When planting, certain requirements must be observed.
First, the bulb should be planted in the center. In this case, the distance from it to the walls of the pot should be at least three centimeters. If several bulbs are placed in a container, then a gap of at least 10 centimeters should be left between them. The second important condition is the volume of the pot. It should be wide and deep. This is necessary since the plant has a powerful root system.
When planting, it is recommended to use soil containing river sand, garden soil and turf soil. You can create this mixture yourself or purchase it at a specialty store. Drainage plays a key role when planting. It is able to provide the necessary aeration of the roots. You can use gravel or expanded clay as drainage. It is poured in a layer of no more than three centimeters; you need to add a little sand on top.
Care
With proper care, you can get up to three amaryllis blooms per year. This crop needs indirect light, moderate moisture, adequate soil drainage, comfortable room temperature and proper fertilization. Watering should begin no earlier than the boom rises to a height of ten centimeters. It is important to know that amaryllis do not like stagnant water. In this case, it is optimal to water no more than once every four days. It should be done so that water does not get on the bulbs. It should be poured exclusively into the soil.
In the winter months, you need to spray the crop, but not more than once every ten days. As fertilizers, flower growers recommend using mixtures saturated with phosphorus and potassium. If we are talking about amaryllis growing in open ground, then they can be fed with organic matter. The solution can be prepared from poultry droppings.
Diseases and pests
The most dangerous and destructive disease for amaryllis is stagonosporosis. When a disease affects a crop, spots form on the bushes, which become increasingly larger over time. This leads to the death of foliage. As a result, the bulb will also certainly die. Without the required number of leaves, it gradually becomes smaller and weaker. In order to cure a plant, as a rule, a 0.2% solution of Fundazol is used. Trichodermin or Fitosporin are also perfect. The treatment process itself lasts for two years and consists of treating the bulb before planting it, spraying the foliage and soil.
The most dangerous pests of amaryllis are: scale insects, scale insects, root mites, nematodes, slugs, mealybugs, narcissus fly and others. Florists recommend paying close attention to temperature conditions. The greatest activity and reproduction of pests occurs at high temperatures. Therefore, it is important to periodically inspect the crop for unwanted insects. On the lower and upper sides of the leaves you can find a scale insect protected by a waxy shell. But the greatest damage to the plant is caused by vagrants that spread through the foliage and suck the juice from it.
