Hippeastrums have gained popularity due to their exquisite and exotic appearance. The unique flowers of this culture are of very high decorative value for lovers. The photos presented in the article will help to appreciate the beauty and magnificence of this flower.
Hippeastrum belongs to the Amaryllis family and is a rather numerous species, including more than 90 types and several thousand hybrid varieties. Each of these colors is able to bring its own flavor to almost any interior. It is noteworthy that hippeastrum is often confused with amaryllis. Although these are representatives of the same family, they belong to different genera and have some differences.
In this article we will look at the Hippeastrum flower, home care for this crop and the main difficulties in growing.
Historical homeland of hippeastrum
This culture is a bulbous perennial. Its homeland is the African continent. There, the Hippeastrum flower grows in the tropics and subtropics. However, apart from Blackcontinent, this culture is widespread in Bolivia, Peru and Brazil. Scientists are still arguing about on which mainland the hippeastrum (Hippeastrum) appeared first.
In European countries, this unique plant first appeared at the beginning of the 16th century. Due to his exotic appearance, he quickly became widely known and won the hearts of most flower growers. At the same time, it was initially mistakenly considered an amaryllis.
In the middle of the 18th century, Hippeastrum attracted the interest of scientists who created its first hybrid. It was named Johnson's hippeastrum. After the success of the new subspecies, many more hybrids were created. By the beginning of the 19th century, their number had already reached one hundred types. It was during this period that culture appeared in Russia. For the first time it was presented at an exhibition in the Botanical Garden of St. Petersburg.
In Russia, the indoor flower Hippeastrum quickly won the respect of flower growers and was appreciated. After the exhibition ended, the cultivation of this culture gained industrial scale. In turn, Russian scientists also decided to create several new hybrids.
Today, hippeastrum is a separate genus with many subspecies. However, he, as before, refers to amaryllis. But they are connected only by belonging to the same family.
Hippeastrum Characteristics
The bulb of this flower can reach 5-7 centimeters in diameter. Visually, it looks like a stem covered with scales around the entire perimeter. At the base of the bulb, roots and a stem grow, which is calledpeduncle. However, he may not be alone. The number of peduncles can reach two or three. It depends on the size of the bulb. The scale-forming leaves often grow at the same time as the peduncle, but in some cases they appear after the flowering process.
Hippeastrum flower stalks 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 needs a dormant period every year. 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, but cross-pollination is also popular. This explains the presence of two thousand varieties of only one variety of Hippeastrum, which are grown at home.
Most popular species
The variety of hippeastrums 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 hippeastrums 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 naturalenvironment. They are exclusively indoor plants. The most popular varieties of Hippeastrum are:
- Hippeastrum Leopold. This type produces, as a rule, 2 buds up to 20 centimeters in diameter. The pharynx is white, with a sharp transition to red. The petals of the flower have a white border. This variety is found naturally. He prefers mountainous terrain. Most commonly found in the Peruvian Andes.
- Spotted hippeastrum. This kind of flower can reach 50 centimeters in height. Her peduncle appears in early March. It consists of two buds. After the appearance of the peduncle, elongated large leaves appear. Their length can exceed 60 centimeters. Hippeastrum spotted has large flower heads. Each of them in diameter reaches up to 20 centimeters. They usually have 6 petals. They taper towards the edges. The color of the flowers can be very different - pink, scarlet, yellow, purple, light green or orange. The main distinguishing feature of this variety, for which he received such a name, is the spotted color of the petals.
- Hippeastrum parrot. This is one of the most beautiful varieties of this plant. It occurs naturally in Brazil. It has an especially large size. Under favorable conditions, the height of the flower can reach a meter. The leaves have long cone-shaped leaves of a gray-green color. In addition to the unique decorative appearance, the parrot Hippeastrum is valued for its abundant flowering. It can throw out up to four buds. The flower has a light greenwide mouth. It is noteworthy that this is its main color, but it smoothly turns into white with red stripes. On the edge of all the petals have a scarlet color. The 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. Up to 4 buds can be located on one peduncle. They are star shaped. Their color varies from brown to orange and scarlet. Zev has a light green color.
- Reticulated hippeastrum is a medium sized species. It grows mainly in Brazil. It stands out for its unique white and pink striped flower color. Zev has a light green tint.
- Hippeastrum Royal Red. Home care for this plant is notable for its simplicity. This is one of the key features that made this variety so popular. The second no less significant factor is the exceptional beauty of burgundy double flowers in this variety of hippeastrum. In addition, the plant reproduces well with the help of daughter bulbs. The inflorescence can reach 60 centimeters in height. It produces up to 4 flowers, 22 cm in diameter.
Each of these varieties can be purchased at almost any flower shop. But it is important to remember that post-purchase care, Hippeastrum requires much more than one that is grown on its own. This is due to the fact that in stores, flower bulbs are kept near other plants, and may be on the counter.long enough. Therefore, after buying the bulb, before placing it in the ground, it is recommended to carefully cut off its top.
Hippeastrum: home care and reproduction
Almost every grower will be happy to take up growing hippeastrum at home. Home care for Hippeastrum, although not particularly difficult, has its own characteristics. The rich and bright color of these exotic flowers will be 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 its growth and development. Today there are many photos of Hippeastrum, which care at home is not particularly difficult if approached responsibly. It is noteworthy that there are a number of specific rules that are prohibited from breaking.
Specific growth and vegetation
As a rule, this plant expels the peduncle in the complete absence of leaves. Hippeastrum is also capable of blooming on a bare bulb. Leaf development occurs only after flowering. However, they can be quite large. The amount of nutrients that 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 will lose most of its mass.
After this period passes, the dying foliage again gives useful trace elements to the bulb. Careafter flowering, Hippeastrum is most needed. This is due to the fact that the plant is very weakened. In this case, top dressing is the main part of care. Hippeastrum will begin to gain mass again. If you remove the bulb from the soil immediately after flowering, you can see that it has greatly decreased in size, while after two weeks of systematic feeding, it will increase significantly. This is important, since how many peduncles will be depends on its power. With the right care after flowering, Hippeastrum will be able to grow larger and produce 3-4 new shoots. However, they will again lose a significant part of the nutrients.
It is important not to remove the flower stalks from Hippeastrum after the flowers have withered. Home care after flowering at this stage includes a waiting period. At this time, the peduncle must give nutrients back to the bulb. Only then can it 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 arrow has dried.
A very important period for this plant is the dormant period. It is worth knowing here that it occurs immediately after the leaves are shed. They lose their original green color and begin to dry out. By the beginning of the dormant period, the hippeastrum completely loses its entire crown. At this time, it is best to place it in a cool dark place. It should stay 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, no less importantproper preparation for this period. The key point in this case is the complete cessation of watering starting from mid-September. In a dark room, the plant must be placed by the end of this month.
Landing
Before planting the bulbs in the ground, you need to carefully examine them for diseases. If there are spots or red dots on the surface, this indicates its defeat by a fungal disease. Such an onion must be treated accordingly, or not used.
If the planting material is purchased in a store, it should have dry scales of a dark brown hue. The roots of the bulb must be alive. However, if it has various signs of deformation, such as grooves or dents, then it should be discarded.
It is best to choose a container for planting hippeastrum in such a way that there is a gap of 1 to 3 centimeters between the bulb and the side surface of the pot. 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 must be deep, wide and stable.
Drainage is very important for this type of indoor flowers. Before laying the soil, be sure 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 a ready-made mixture in a store. ForTo improve the result, superphosphate can be added to the soil. But no more than two teaspoons per liter of soil. In addition, the addition of phosphorus will not be superfluous. Its use will greatly improve the flowering of hippeastrum.
When planting a 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 watered abundantly, avoiding water on the bulb and roots. It is noteworthy that if more than a month and a half has passed since planting, this means that 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 flowering.
If the plant is not transplanted, then an annual replacement of the topsoil is necessary. But the transplant can be carried out in the autumn before the start of the dormant period. Before placing in a new pot, the bulb must be inspected for mechanical damage and rot. If the presence of a 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. Cut off all elongated roots. Cover the cuts with powdered activated carbon.
Water and fertilize
Home care for Hippeastrum involves regular soil moisture. It is important to understand what determines the frequency of watering. You should focus onplant age and environmental conditions. The main signal for watering 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 liquid is directed along the walls of the container.
It is noteworthy that few people know how to care for Hippeastrum if its leaves have begun to turn yellow. In this case, this is a sign of water entering the root system. The solution is to transplant the Hippeastrum flower. Care, as before, should be carefully. It is necessary to water only with settled tap water at room temperature.
No less 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 crop. 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 growing season, the bulbs are in dire need of potassium and phosphorus. After flowering is completed, nitrogen-containing components are added to them. They contribute to the rapid set of green mass.
Growing from seeds
Gippeastrum is grown in several ways. One of the most time consuming is planting seeds. For thisfreshly harvested planting material will be required. This is important, since it is these seeds that have the highest germination. For dried planting material, it is much lower.
This breeding method 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 need to 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. As a rule, this is done during a Hippeastrum transplant. The separation is best done with a disinfected sharp cutting tool. For these purposes, a blade or a clerical knife is perfect. After the children are separated, you need to treat the cut with charcoal powder. A young shoot after a cut is planted in a separate container filled with light, loose soil.
Dividing the bulb
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 top layer of soil is removed. This must be done in such a way that only the lower part of the bulb is covered. All dried up are removed from it.scales and trimmed leaves. After that, the bulb is divided into four equal parts. The cuts should reach the very surface of the soil. Plastic or wooden knitting needles are inserted into them. They must be positioned so that the bulb segments do not touch each other.
In order to get a good result, you need to take care of the Hippeastrum bulb. Do not allow the soil to dry out. After the formation of leaf plates, be sure to fertilize the soil. Bulb parts are planted in separate containers no earlier than next spring.
Possible Care Problems
Most of all, this flower is susceptible to powdery mildew, burn fungus and red rot. In addition, pests such as aphids, spider mites, scale insects and mealybugs can cause no less damage to hippeastrum. To prevent the attack of pests, the stem and leaves of the flower are treated with an insecticidal preparation.
You can understand that a plant is infected or exposed to pests by its appearance. If there are burgundy spots on the leaves and bulb, then this indicates that the culture is affected by a fungal burn. In this case, the bulb must be removed from the soil and all affected areas removed. Treat the sections with a special mixture. It includes one part of blue vitriol and twenty parts of chalk. After processing, the bulb must be left in the fresh air, where it must dry for 7 days. When the procedure is completed, the bulb must be placed in a pot with new soil,treated with a fungicide.
Powdery mildew is indicated by a whitish coating at the bottom 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 of scales located on the bulb. In addition, the leaves that have begun to fade also speak of it. In this case, all diseased parts of the plant must be removed or the foci themselves cut out. After that, the bulb is thoroughly dried and placed in fresh soil. Before this, it is important to sterilize the substrate and treat it with foundation.
