Hippeastrum gained popularity due to its sophisticated and exotic appearance. The unique flowers of this culture are of very high decorative value for lovers. Rate the beauty and splendor of this flower will help presented in the article photo.
Hippeastrum belongs to the amaryllis family and is a fairly numerous species, including more than 90 types and several thousand hybrid varieties. Each of these colors is able to add its own twist to almost any interior. It is noteworthy that often hippeastrum is confused with amaryllis. Although they are representatives of the same family, they belong to different genera and have some differences.
In this article, we will consider the Hippeastrum flower, home care for this crop and the main difficulties when growing.
The historical homeland of hippeastrum
This culture is an onion perennial. His homeland is the African continent. There, the Hippeastrum flower grows in the tropics and subtropics. However, in addition to the Black Continent, this culture is widespread in Bolivia, Peru and Brazil. Scientists are still debating on which continent Hippeastrum appeared earlier.
In European countries, this unique plant first appeared at the beginning of the XVI century. Thanks to his exotic appearance, he quickly became widely known and won the hearts of most gardeners. Moreover, initially it was erroneously considered to be amaryllis.
In the mid-18th century, Hippeastrum attracted the interest of the scientists who created its first hybrid. It is called Johnson's hippeastrum. After the success of the new subspecies, many more hybrids were created. By the beginning of the XIX century, their number had already reached one hundred types. It was during this period that culture appeared in Russia. It was first presented at an exhibition in the botanical garden of St. Petersburg.
In Russia, the Hippeastrum indoor flower quickly gained the respect of flower growers and was appreciated. After the exhibition ended, breeding of this culture gained industrial proportions. In turn, Russian scientists also decided to create several new hybrids.
Today, hippeastrum is a separate genus with many subspecies. However, he, as before, relates to amaryllis. But only their belonging to one family connects them.
Hippeastrum Characteristics
The bulb of this flower can reach 5-7 centimeters in diameter. Visually, it looks like a stem covered in scales around the entire perimeter. At the base of the bulb roots and stem grow, which is called a peduncle. Moreover, he may not be alone. The number of peduncles can reach two or three. It depends on the size of the bulb. Leaves formed from flakes often grow simultaneously with a flower stalk, but in some cases they appear after the flowering process.
The size of the peduncles in Hippeastrum can reach 1-1.2 meters, and the leaves sometimes exceed 70 centimeters in diameter. The flowers are also quite large. Their size can vary from 7 to 30 centimeters, depending on the variety of hippeastrum. Flowering culture occurs in the spring season. Moreover, in different hybrids it occurs at different times. So, for example, some varieties bloom in early March, while others in mid-May. Hippeastrum annually needs a period of rest. It can last 3-4 months. This is due to the fact that in the homeland this period falls on the drought season.
Hippeastrum flowers are bisexual, however cross-pollination is also popular. This explains the presence of two thousand varieties of only one species of Hippeastrum, the cultivation of which is carried out at home.
The most popular types
The variety of hippeastrum is quite large and is represented by 70 types of flowers. They, in turn, include several thousand hybrid varieties. Breeders prefer to breed those types of hippeastrum that have more massive and unique inflorescences that have no analogues in the wild. So, for example, terry and striped flowers are never found in the natural environment. They are exclusively indoor plants. The most popular varieties of Hippeastrum are:
- Hippeastrum Leopold. This type gives, as a rule, 2 buds up to 20 centimeters in diameter. His pharynx is white, with a sharp transition to red. Petals of a flower have a white fringing. This variety is found in the natural environment. He prefers mountainous terrain. Most often found in the Peruvian Andes.
- Hippeastrum spotted. This kind of flower can reach 50 centimeters in height. A flower stalk appears in her beginning of March. It consists of two buds. After the appearance of the peduncle, elongated large leaves appear. Their length can exceed 60 centimeters. The spotted hippeastrum has large flower heads. Each of them in diameter reaches up to 20 centimeters. They are usually located 6 petals. They taper to the edges. The color of the flowers can be very different - pink, scarlet, yellow, purple, lime or orange. The main distinguishing feature of this variety, for which he received this name, is the spotted color of the petals.
- Hippeastrum is a parrot. This is one of the most beautiful varieties of this plant. It is found in the natural environment in Brazil. It has a particularly large size. Under favorable conditions, the height of the flower can reach a meter. Leaves have long conical leaves of gray-green color. In addition to its unique decorative appearance, the parrot-shaped Hippeastrum is appreciated for its abundant flowering. He can throw up to four buds. The flower has a light green wide pharynx. It is noteworthy that this is its main color, but it smoothly turns into white with red stripes. Along the edge, all the petals are scarlet. Flowering of this variety of hippeastrum occurs in April.
- Royal hippeastrum grows in Mexico. Unlike other species, its leaves are rounded at the ends. In addition, they are narrow and long. On one peduncle up to 4 buds can be located. They have a star shape. Their color varies from brown to orange and scarlet. The pharynx has a light green color.
- Reticulated hippeastrum is a medium sized species. It grows mainly in Brazil. It stands out for its unique pink and white striped flower color. The pharynx has a light green hue.
- Hippeastrum Royal Red. Home care for this plant is notable for its simplicity. This is one of the key features that has made this variety popular. The second no less significant factor is the exceptional beauty of the burgundy double flowers of this variety of hippeastrum. In addition, the plant reproduces well with the help of daughter bulbs. Inflorescence can reach 60 centimeters in height. It forms up to 4 flowers of 22 cm in diameter.
Each of these varieties can be purchased at almost any flower shop. But it is important to remember that care after purchase, Hippeastrum requires much more than that which is grown independently. This is due to the fact that flower bulbs are stored in stores near other plants, and can be on the counter for a long time. Therefore, after buying the bulb, before placing it in the ground, its tip is recommended to be carefully cut.
Hippeastrum: home care and breeding
Almost every grower will gladly take up hippeastrum cultivation at home. Care at home for Hippeastrum, although it is not particularly difficult, has its own characteristics. The rich and vibrant color of these exotic flowers will become a real decoration of any interior. However, before you start growing, you need to know how to care for the Hippeastrum flower. In order to fully enjoy the beauty of this plant, you need to create favorable conditions for growth and development. Today there are many photos of Hippeastrum, home care for which is not particularly difficult, if you approach this responsibly. It is noteworthy that there are a number of specific rules that are prohibited from breaking.
Growth and vegetation specifics
As a rule, this plant expels a flower stalk in the complete absence of leaves. Hippeastrum can bloom on the bare bulb. Leaf development occurs only after flowering. Moreover, they can be quite large. The amount of nutrients the bulb will receive will depend on their size. It is noteworthy that during the flowering period they are spent in large quantities on flowers. In this case, the bulb lose most of its mass.
After this period passes, the dying foliage again gives the beneficial trace elements to the bulb. After flowering, Hippeastrum needs care most. This is due to the fact that the plant is greatly weakened. In this case, top dressing is the main part of care. Hippeastrum will again begin to gain mass. If you remove the bulb from the soil immediately after flowering, you can see that it has greatly decreased in size, and after two weeks of systematic feeding, it will increase significantly. This is important, since how many peduncles will depend on its power. Having received proper care after flowering, Hippeastrum will be able to enlarge and give 3-4 new arrows. However, this will again lose a significant part of the nutrients.
It is important not to remove the peduncles in Hippeastrum after the flowers have wilted. Home care after flowering at this stage includes a waiting period. At this time, the peduncle should transfer nutrients back to the bulb. Only after that it can be carefully removed. It is forbidden to cut it. The peduncle should be removed by unscrewing. This can be done immediately after the main part of the boom has dried.
A very important period for this plant is the dormant period. Here it is worth knowing that it occurs immediately after the discharge of leaves. They lose their original green color and begin to dry out. By the beginning of the rest period, the hippeastrum completely loses its entire crown. At this time, it is best placed in a cool, dark place. It should be there until February. During the dormant period, the bulb is strictly forbidden to water. This can lead to the death of the plant. At the same time, proper preparation for this period is no less important. The key point in this case is the complete cessation of watering since mid-September. In a dark room, the plant must be placed by the end of this month.
Landing
Before planting bulbs in the ground, you need to carefully examine them for diseases. If spots or red dots are present on the surface, this indicates its defeat by a fungal disease. Such a bulb must be subjected to appropriate processing, or not to use it.
If planting material is purchased in the store, it should have dry scales of a dark brown hue. The roots of the bulb should be alive. However, if there are various signs of deformation on it, for example, grooves or dents, then it should be abandoned.
The capacity for planting a hippeastrum is best selected in such a way that between the bulb and the side surface of the pot there remains a gap of 1 to 3 centimeters. When choosing a container, you should also consider the size of the flower. Almost all varieties of hippeastrum have a height of at least 50-60 centimeters, so the pot should be deep, wide and stable.
For this type of indoor flowers, drainage is very important. Before laying the soil, it is necessary to fill in a layer of expanded clay, brick or small pieces of ceramics. After that, the soil is filled up. It should be loose and light. To do this, you can mix the soil with peat, wood resin and bone meal yourself, or buy the finished mixture in the store. To improve the result, superphosphate can be added to the soil. But not more than two teaspoons per liter of soil. In addition, the addition of phosphorus will not be superfluous. Its use will significantly improve the flowering of hippeastrum.
When planting the bulb, you should pour a handful of sand under its very roots. After that, it is covered with a layer of soil. It is noteworthy that the soil should cover the bulb only half. After planting, the plant should be abundantly watered, avoiding water getting on the bulb and roots. It is noteworthy that if more than one and a half months have passed after planting, this means the bulb is not viable.
Young plants of this species need to be transplanted annually. At the same time, old plants are transplanted once every three years. Transplantation is carried out, as a rule, in the spring, immediately after completion of flowering.
If the plant does not change, then an annual replacement of the topsoil is necessary. But the transplant can be carried out in the autumn before the beginning of the dormant period. Before placing in a new pot, the bulb must be inspected for mechanical damage and rot. If the presence of the disease is detected, then it is better to get rid of such a plant. Before planting in a new pot, the bulb must be placed in a solution of potassium permanganate. Trim all elongated roots. Fill the places of cuts with powder activated carbon.
Watering and feeding
Hippeastrum home care provides for regular soil moisture. It is important to understand what the frequency of irrigation depends on. You should focus on the age of the plant and environmental conditions. The main signal for irrigation in this case will be the dried surface of the soil. It is noteworthy that water must be supplied in such a way that it does not fall on the foliage and onion. To do this, the fluid is directed along the walls of the tank.
It is noteworthy that few know how to care for Hippeastrum if its leaves began to turn yellow. In this case, this is a sign of water entering the root system. The solution is to transplant a Hippeastrum flower. Care should be taken, as before. Watering is necessary only with settled tap water at room temperature.
Equally important is the feeding of hippeastrum. He needs this procedure immediately after the flowering period has ended. Fertilizer contributes to the faster accumulation of nutrients in the bulb. It is important to feed exclusively with watering. This is necessary so that the excess of the active components of the fertilizer does not have a detrimental effect on the root system of the culture. It is required to make solutions intended for all flowering houseplants. In this case, the use of single-component preparations will be acceptable.
During the course of the growing season, the bulbs are urgently needed potassium and phosphorus. After flowering is completed, nitrogen-containing components are added to them. They contribute to the rapid collection of green mass.
Seed cultivation
Hippeastrum is grown in several ways. One of the most time-consuming is planting seeds. This will require freshly picked planting material. This is important, since it is these seeds that have the highest germination capacity. With dried planting material, it is much lower.
This method of reproduction is rarely used. This is due to the large investment of time and the fact that fresh seeds are not always available. To get them, you must resort to artificial pollination of flowers. However, the process of sowing and further germination is not particularly complicated.
Vegetative propagation method
This method is faster than growing from seeds. To do this, you need to separate the young shoots from the parent bulb. This is usually done during a Hippeastrum transplant. Separation is best done with a disinfected sharp cutting tool. For these purposes, a blade or clerical knife is perfect. After the children are separated, it is necessary to treat the place of cut with carbon powder. A young shoot after a cut, is planted in a separate container filled with light, loose soil.
Bulb Division
This type of hippeastrum breeding is the most popular. The procedure is best done in late autumn. This is due to the fact that at such a time the bulb contains many nutrients.
The process of growing hippeastrum in this way is quite simple. The bulb is divided into 4 parts. In this case, it is advisable to use a sharp sterile knife. The bulb is placed in a container filled with soil. The topsoil is removed. This must be done in such a way that only the lower part of the bulb is covered. All dried scales are removed from it and leaves are cut off. After that, the onion is divided into four equal parts. . . , .
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You can understand that a plant is infected or susceptible to pests by its appearance. If there are maroon spots on the leaves and onion, then this indicates that the culture is affected by a fungal burn. In this case, the bulb must be removed from the ground and all affected areas removed. Slices are treated with a special mixture. It includes one part of copper sulfate and twenty parts of chalk. After processing, the bulb must be left in the fresh air, where it must be dried for 7 days. When the procedure is completed, the bulb must be placed in a pot with new soil treated with a fungicidal preparation.
Powdery mildew is indicated by a whitish bloom in the lower part of the bush. You can get rid of it only by specialized means. They can be purchased at any flower shop.
Rot is expressed in the form of rotting flakes located on the bulb. In addition, the leaves that started to fade also talk about it. In this case, all diseased parts of the plant must be removed or the foci themselves cut. After that, the onion is thoroughly dried and placed in fresh soil. Before this, it is important to sterilize the substrate and treat with foundationazole.