Increasingly, Russian gardeners grow bright lycoris on personal plots. Such interest is associated with the unpretentiousness and unusual beauty of culture. In this article you will learn what lyricis means in the language of flowers, and also read the legend associated with this beautiful plant. In addition, here will be given the rules for growing and caring for this crop.
Flower meaning
In Western countries, this plant is called a spider or hurricane lily. And in Japanese culture, it is believed that licorice is the flower of death. According to legend, once lived the two spirits of Manju and Saga, which the Buddhist God ordered to look after the licorice. And one of them got leaves, and the second got buds.
But once the spirits left their post, met each other, and immediately fell in love. The supreme god was very angry with them for their willfulness, and in punishment the Saga and Manju must keep an eye on the flower until death. But they could no longer meet each other. After all, when leaves appear, there are no buds, and vice versa.
Since then, in the Japanese language of flowers, lyricis means separation, loneliness, denial. In addition, in this country it is believed that this plant appears on the edge of the underground roads of death, leading the dead to a new incarnation. Because of this belief, a flower is planted along cemeteries and next to graves, and is also used in mourning rituals.
In Europe, this beautiful plant does not have such a gloomy meaning. And the flower licorice is quietly grown in parks, gardens and even at home.
Description
The flower licorice, the photo of which is given in the article, is a bulbous, perennial plant from the Amaryllis family. In the natural environment, it is found in South and East Asia. But thanks to its beauty, the flower has spread far beyond its homeland, and it is grown in Europe, America and even Australia.
The main feature of the culture is that leaves and flowers never appear on the plant at the same time. And between them, the culture passes a period of rest. In spring, thin leaves grow up from the bulb, up to 60 cm long. They die by mid-summer.
As soon as this happens, the bulb releases an erect, sturdy, fleshy and bare stalk. It grows to 70 cm in height. On its top, a large inflorescence is formed, consisting of 3–6 buds, painted in saturated red, yellow, orange tones. But there are snow-white specimens. The flowers exude a pleasant intense aroma that fills the entire surroundings. After the buds, a box is formed on the plant with a small amount of seeds.
Plant species
The genus of licorice includes dozens of types of flowers. But in Russian conditions, only such varieties are cultivated:
- Licoris is radiant. A flower that first has leaves and then buds. Perennial reaches up to 70 cm in height. It has elongated, parallel leaves, bending from the middle of the plate. Blooms in late summer. The buds are irregular in shape with thin lateral petals resembling an antennae and wide central wavy petals. They are painted in terracotta or pale pink. Flowering lasts up to 30 days.
- Licoris is golden. In form, this variety is similar to radiant licorice. It is distinguished by a yellow color, fringed curliness of the petals, and snow-white stamens.
- Licoris scaly. This variety is very common in South Korea and Japan. Looks nice in group landings. In early spring, the bulb produces 5–6 broad-linear, gray-green leaves, which die by mid-July. In August, instead of them appear spear-shaped peduncles, reaching 90 cm in height. At the top of the stems, buds are formed, collected in a group of 6-10 pcs. They have a funnel shape, visually resembling lily flowers. Buds reach 7 cm in diameter. Petals are painted in lilac and pink tones, with a yellow middle. Flowering lasts 10-14 days.
- Licoris is blood red. This compact perennial reaches up to 50 cm in height. Bulbs produce leaves in April, and by June they turn yellow. Small plates reach 15 mm wide. The plant blooms in August. One bulb produces up to 6 buds, 5 cm in diameter. The color of the petals is rich red, so the variety got its name.
Each of these varieties will become a decoration of the flowerbed. But in order to grow such beauty, you will have to make some efforts and provide the flower with comfortable conditions.
Outdoor landing
It is better to plant the bulbs of the flower of the licorice in the fall. At the same time, you are guided by the weather conditions of your region. It is advisable to land a month before the onset of cold weather. Then the bulbs adapt, grow their roots and calmly winter, and the next year they will enjoy flowering.
If desired, you can transfer the landing to early spring. But in this case, the capricious plant will begin to hurt. Moreover, it will not bloom until next fall.
For flower beds, select areas protected from wind and drafts. It is desirable that they are located in partial shade from large deciduous trees. Under direct sunlight, tender foliage will get burned. And in full shadow, the color of the buds will fade noticeably.
As for the soil, the flower licorice prefers loose, sandy soils. Before planting, be sure to dig the ground and remove all weed grass, otherwise it will clog the delicate shoots of the plant. If the soil on your site is heavy, then add peat, sand or humus.
Do not forget to process the bulbs in a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicides. This will protect plants from diseases and pests. How to plant flowers:
- In the prepared area, make holes 15 cm deep.
- The distance between the pits should reach 25-30 cm. Otherwise, children who appear on the bulbs annually will not have enough food.
- At the bottom of the recesses, pour a centimeter layer of sand.
- Slightly push the bulb into the hole, cover it with sand, and fill the remaining voids with soil.
After planting, compact and water the soil abundantly. It is advisable to mulch the surface with peat, fallen leaves or straw.
Garden cultivation
Caring for the exotic "flower of death" with licorice is not burdensome, and an inexperienced gardener will also be able to grow this attractive plant. Agricultural technology consists of the following activities:
- regular and plentiful watering;
- periodic top dressing;
- loosening;
- transplants;
- weed and pest control.
In the northern and central regions, plant care also includes preparation for winter.
Watering
During the period of active growth of leaves and flowering, licorice needs regular watering. Note that even short-term drying of the soil will affect the attractiveness of the plant. Therefore, try to keep the soil slightly moist. But in the summer, when the leaves faded, and the peduncle has not yet appeared, stop irrigation. At this point, the plant begins a dormant period, and excessive moisture damages it.
After watering, be sure to loosen the soil. This is necessary so that a crust does not form on the ground, blocking the access of oxygen to the bulb. During the procedure, also weed out all the weeds. They are a source of disease and can harm the culture.
Top dressing
Likoris is a flower that can draw nutrients from the soil, and in most cases it does not need additional nutrition. But if you notice a certain lethargy of the plant, or it has stopped growing, then apply mineral fertilizers intended for bulb crops to the soil. Fertilize only 2 hours after watering. Otherwise, the preparations will burn the bulb.
Transfer
Like other bulb crops, the flower lycoris does not need an annual transplant. And in one section, it is quietly growing up to 5 years. But after this time you can’t do without a transplant. Otherwise, the plant will begin to hurt. During this event, you can also carry out the reproduction of the culture. But keep in mind that it is too often not recommended to divide and transplant the plant. From this it weakens and dies.
Before digging the bulbs, prepare a new patch for them. Remember that parts of this plant are poisonous, so work with it with gloves. After digging the bulbs, carefully separate the children from them. Sprinkle the fault points with wood ash or charcoal powder. After that, plant the plants in a new place, in the same way as mentioned earlier (see paragraph “Planting in the open ground”). Keep in mind that after transplanting, the licorice may hurt and may not bloom for 1-2 years.
Care after flowering
When the buds fade, cut the peduncle. Otherwise, he will pull from the plant the juices necessary to prepare for the cold. Dig a plant for the winter is not worth it. But if you are afraid that the culture will freeze, or severe frosts are expected, then cover the flower garden with a layer of fallen leaves or spruce branches.
Diseases and Pests
Likoris is a flower with strong immunity, and he is not afraid of diseases. In addition, phytoncides are present in the juice of the plant, killing microbes and repelling pests. And only occasionally he is attacked by a daffodil fly. To protect the culture from the pest, water the flower bed during the period of active growth of the culture with a solution of a systemic insecticide.
An attractive and bright flower lycoris will decorate any personal plot. In addition, caring for him does not require much time and effort. Therefore, do not pay attention to ancient Japanese legends and be sure to break the flower garden with this handsome man. He will not disappoint you.