Gymenocallis (ismene) is a white perennial bulbous plant with large flowers. They are united in inflorescences, shaped like umbrellas and emitting a pleasant smell. The stamens are long, half-jointed and form a crown similar to a narcissus. The upper part of the stamens, where the pollen is produced, is a bright dark orange.
The hymenocallis plant has several more names. Those who are fond of planting flowers know it as pankrazium, and from Holland it is delivered to us under the name ismene. How to grow this amazing flower is described in the article.
The uniqueness of this extraordinary plant is that the opening of ripe buds occurs to within a second at the same time and is complemented by a pleasant aroma of an opened flower. This unusual property of change makes it even more attractive and mysterious.
The difference between ismene and representatives of the genus Hymenocallis
- Plants have different direction and shape of flowers. At Ismene, they are slightly inclined and presented in the form of luxurious bells. In hymenocallis, the flower resembles a bindweed, widelyopen and petals up.
- In the flowers of the ismene plant, inside the carved crown formed from the fused bases of the stamens, greenish stripes are visible, in contrast to the hymenocallis.
- Ismene has a false stem, which is formed due to the death of leaves, while hymenocallis does not.
Ismene: how to grow at home
The flower will delight you all year round, subject to simple manipulations:
- Lighting. The plant prefers bright light. Direct sunlight is contraindicated for him, although he also grows on the southern windows. In the summer, ismene can be taken out into the garden until autumn. In winter, the bulbs are kept at a temperature of 10 degrees in a dry place.
- Requires moderate watering. With a lack of moisture, the leaves lose their elasticity and lie down. Excess moisture also adversely affects the houseplant. If the lower leaves turn yellow, reduce watering.
- Feeding. It is carried out every three weeks, starting with the appearance of young leaves and ending by the end of flowering. Use liquid mineral fertilizers for indoor plants, apply according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
- The plant is transplanted every 3-4 years during the dormant period. After this procedure, the leaves may wilt, so they are shaded for several days. The composition of the soil should include land containing one part of humus, peat, sand, leaves and two parts of clay-soddy soil.
- Reproduction of ismene, which is grown from seeds or part of a cut bulb, can also come frombabies, but they rarely form.
- Humidity. Dry air in the room can harm the plant, so it is necessary to spray it, excluding the dormant period.
Diseases
Ismene, the cultivation and care of which requires compliance with certain rules, is quite unpretentious in content. Plant diseases are mainly due to improper care: high temperature and humidity.
Anthracnose can be identified by the appearance of black blotches and brown smudges on the tips of the leaves. To heal the plant requires:
- cut diseased leaves;
- reduce watering;
- treat with a fungicide;
- ventilate the apartment.
Staganospor appears as red spots on the bulb, and then they pass to the leaves. At the onset of the disease, the treatment of the bulb with a solution of foundationol will help (dissolve 2 g in a liter of water). At an advanced stage of the disease, treat with the following mixture: add 100 g of chalk, 5 g of copper sulfate, 10 g of adhesive to 300 g of water, mix everything until the density of sour cream and process the bulb, leaves and peduncles.
Grey rot is one of the most common diseases. It affects the bulb of the plant. If rot is found, it is removed with a sharp knife, and the cut is powdered with crushed charcoal. In case of severe damage, the bulb is thrown away. The disease occurs with abundant watering and low temperatures.
Pests
In addition to the above diseases, scale insects and mealybugs can harm the change. From theseYou can get rid of parasites like this: wash them off with soapy water, treat them with infusion of garlic or alcohol tincture of calendula.
With proper care, the plant will bloom profusely and delight even in cold climates.
Ismene: outdoor cultivation and care
The bulbs intended for planting in the garden are germinated to speed up the flowering of the plant. To do this, take a small container and half fill the bulb with peat or sawdust, it is necessary to ensure that water does not stagnate. The room temperature should not exceed 15 degrees.
Sprouted bulbs are planted in fertile soil in a sunny place in early May, deepening them by 5 cm. It is necessary to protect plantings from frost. Leaves will appear in early June. When caring for ismena, proper watering is necessary: with an excess of water, it will rot, and with a lack, it will not bloom. Ten centimeters from the plant, small grooves are made, where water is poured.
It is not recommended to feed plants with organic fertilizers, they may die. And with complex fertilizers, top dressing is done up to 4 times a season.
Growing in a container
Ismene bulbs, cultivation and care (photo below), which can be carried out both in open ground and in containers, germinate quite quickly. The second method gives better results. Start preparing containers in mid-March. They make drainage in them and fill them with fertileloose earth. Before planting the bulbs, the soil is moistened. When planting, the neck of the bulb should protrude slightly above the soil.
The boxes are placed in a warm and preferably lit place. Water them periodically. A month and a half later, a peduncle will appear, and rosettes of leaves will form. In order for the plants to bloom as long as possible in the summer, it is recommended to plant the bulbs at different times. Plants should be fed twice a month with a complex liquid fertilizer.
In August, watering of plants is reduced, when cold weather sets in, they should be transferred to a room where the air temperature is not higher than 15 degrees.
Winter bulb storage
Ismene, which continues to grow and care until late autumn, decorates the garden with greenery. Before the onset of cold weather, it is necessary to dig up the bulbs. They, along with leaves and children, are dried and placed in a cool room. Dried leaves are separated, all bulbs are washed, dried and stored in a dry pantry in plastic mesh boxes at room temperature.
They keep well with roots and do not dry out. During the winter period, the contents of the boxes should be checked several times. When signs of awakening appear, they should be planted in the ground and looked after as a houseplant.
How to breed
If you decide to purchase a plant ismene, growing and caring for it when propagating from children, how to produce? Babies on the bulb begin to appear only after its four years of age.
Small babies are not separated from the mother bulb during storage, in winter they receive food from it, and remain until spring. With the onset of warm days in early May, the children are planted in the garden.
Views
Ismene is an undemanding plant. It can grow in all conditions, but in dark rooms there are problems with flowering, although it looks fine without flowering. There are several types of ismene, which are grown and cared for indoors.
Caribbean has a round underground bulb, narrow-lanceolate or belt-like leaves that taper towards the base. From 6 to 12 large white flowers connected in an umbrella inflorescence. Blooms in winter.
The coastal view has belt-like green leaves. Fragrant white flowers are collected in an inflorescence umbrella, peduncle straight, smooth and green. The flower has six narrow curving petals, in the middle of which is a white cup with thin, long stamens, painted white, with yellow anthers.
The multi-colored coastal subspecies is fragrant with a pleasant aroma emitted by white flowers located on a strong straight peduncle. The shape of the leaves is the same as in the previous species, and along the edges there are wide stripes of a whitish-gray hue.
Early is a popular variety of ismene grown and cared for at home. This variety has short, dark green leaves with a glossy, belt-like surface. will bloomplant in April and will delight with flowers with large white petals until July.
The narcissus species is an evergreen plant with dark green leaves that have xiphoid contours. The flowers are very large yellow. In some subspecies, the petals are cast in white and purple. Blooms from July to October.
Beautiful has snow-white flowers and a lanceolate-elliptical leaf blade.
Cordifolia differs significantly from all the varieties described above. It has pale narrow drooping flowers, the crown is absent. Leaves with long petioles, elongated heart-shaped.
Tubiflora is very similar to the previous species. It differs only in the elongated oval shape of the leaves.
The original and whimsical shape of the ismene flower, which is easy to grow and care for at home, will give you a real pleasure.
