Hippeastrum, in contrast to amaryllis, its closest relative, has about 8 dozen species common in tropical America. In the conditions of apartments and gardens, hybrid hippeastrum is usually grown.
The bulb of this plant is large (about 2 cm in diameter), the leaves are long, elongated (up to 60 cm) and wide (up to 7 cm). Usually one peduncle grows up to 1.2 m long, on which there are several large flowers (diameter 14-20 cm), their tube is short. The color of the flowers is very diverse: white, pink, red, yellow, combined flowers. The flowering time of the plant is from February to April.
Home care for hippeastrum
Hippeastrum is an indoor plant, photophilous, but it does not tolerate direct sunlight. During the growth period, hippeastrum is able to withstand any room temperature, however, a temperature of more than 20 degrees is considered comfortable for rich flowering. The earth in a pot and the presence or absence of feeding worries him a little: during the flowering period, he spends the energy collected in the bulb over the past season. When forcing the peduncle in water or an inert substrate, this should be taken into account. The dormant period of the flower is very pronounced: in August-September, the leaves stop growing and completely die off, and in October-January a new arrow appears.
Resting care
The maintenance of the hippeastrum during the dormant period requires a low temperature (+10 degrees), darkness and dryness, but not a basement. Cut off all yellowed, dried leaves. Around December - early January, we take out the pot with hippeastrum from the darkness and put it on the shady windowsill. When the peduncle hatches and grows up to 10 centimeters, we rearrange it to the lighted side.
By the way, it is quite possible to grow hippeastrum without a dormant period. To do this, it is enough to constantly keep it in a sunny place, water it as needed. It will bloom with you with this care either in March-May, or in October-November.
Correct watering of the hippeastrum
During the period of active growth and lush flowering of the plant, watering should be strong and abundant, after the soil in the pot dries out. But gradually, with the approach of the rest period of the hippeastrum, the amount of water must be reduced, and after all the leaves have died out, completely stop. It is only permissible to add a small amount of water to the pan of the pot to maintain the viability of the rhizome.
During the calm period of the flower, the earth should feel dry, since excess moisture can provoke the growth of a new leaf, which will subsequently harm the flowers of the hippeastrum. After the start of the growth of a new peduncle, we begin to water again, but little by little.
Top dressing and fertilizers for hippeastrum
You need to start feeding the flower immediately after it has faded. This is necessary for the flower to accumulate strength for the next year. During this period, after the end of flowering, large long leaves grow especially intensively, and they form bulbous scales, laying new flowers in the future. It is better to take the hippeastrum outside until September (the beginning of the quiet period).If you made a decision not to send hippeastrum to a dark place, then during the period of flowering and leaf growth, the plant must be fertilized once every 10 days. It is better to do this with a mullein solution (1 in 10).
Flower transplant
Immediately after the end of the flowering of the hippeastrum, it is necessary to cut off the wilted flowers, and plant the onion in a small pot 2/3 in the ground. If the plant is not strong enough, it is rarely recommended to replant it - once every 3 years. The diameter of the pot in which the hippeastrum bulb is placed should be 6-7 centimeters larger than the diameter of the bulb. The composition of the soil for planting is similar to that of amaryllis - leafy and soddy soil, sand, peat, humus (1: 1: 1: 1: 1).
Reproduction of hippeastrum
Reproduction of hippeastrum by children
The easiest way to reproduce this flower is by children. However, more and more gardeners are practicing dividing the bulb. For a successful separation, a good, strong onion is needed, which should be cut in half so that an equal piece of scales and a bottom remains on each part. Sprinkle a fresh onion cut with charcoal or activated charcoal, and then plant the slices in a light peat mixture. In about 1.5-2 months, new babies will appear. Plant them in new pots when spring comes.
Propagation of hippeastrum by seeds
Hippeastrum lends itself to reproduction by seeds, but to obtain them, the flowers will need to be forcibly pollinated, and the seedling rarely blooms in the first two years and does not retain maternal characteristics.
Hello! Can you please tell me why Hypeastrum drops its leaves? Last time 2 leaves grew and one morning they fell. Then the guy thought that something went wrong and cut them off. After a while, two new leaves began to grow. Today one of them fell again, about 20 cm long. What's wrong? 🙁
Vash cvetok naverno v tenyochke postavte eyo v solnechnoe mesto
Are you sure the hippeastrum bulbs are about 20 cm in diameter ?! It's a whole head of cabbage!
Natalya, put the flower on the balcony or in the garden, it will get stronger. My leaves, too, were falling, I put props. And then I put it on the balcony, began to feed it with liquid fertilizers for flowers. The leaves became strong, wide, like swords. With leaves, he stores strength for the bulb, for a new flowering.
Something I do not see, where it is written about a 20 cm bulb, in Russian, it seems, it is written about leaves 20 cm long, or for some "advanced" is it the same thing ?. Here I am dark, I did not know :))). And so the leaves can be propped up with something, now there are beautiful props in flower shops. We always put supports at home, because no matter how strong the sheet is, and with a length of 20 cm or more, sooner or later it will break under its own weight. Therefore, he needs help (support).
Flower lovers, can you please tell me if my flower gave two bulbs to plant them or can I leave to live in one pot? Which month / period is best for seating? By the way, the largest bulb is 10 cm and its leaves are 50-80 cm each, and the children are three small things and leaves 30 cm each. Flowering was in February-March.
Good day! What can be done with an adult, neglected plant?
If the leaves are more than a meter, what to do?
I have several varieties of hippeastrum. The bulbs are exactly about 20 cm. But actually my hyperstrum is more than 6 years old. As a rule, they give several peduncles a year. The first time, yes, with a period of rest and forcing one for the New Year. The rest I wish to see and my birthday (Valentine's Day).The second and third flowering occurs in the summer (in the summer they stand on the open terrace). They retire in early September. Home on the shelves are brought in at the end of October, which are for the New Year, the rest in mid-November. No leaves, or with one or two leaves remaining, which turn yellow and fall off when growth begins. If you take the pot more freely, then after the first flowering, it will most likely give bulbs without any stimulation and division on this score. Only this does not happen very much in the young bulb, which bloomed for the first time. In terms of the second and grated flowering, it’s like this: for every 4 leaves, one peduncle. I cut off the withered flowers, but I cut off the remaining arrow when it wilts, I just twist it out of the tuber. The first flowering after dormancy, then a peduncle appears ahead, then leaves, but it blooms with me already with leaves. Until leaves or an arrow from the bulb appear after dormancy, I do not fertilize. When it appears, I begin to fertilize with complex fertilizers with a predominance of phosphorus once every two weeks. Then, too, with the same fertilizers to the next. rest period. I water only in a deep pan. Fertilizers are also through the pallet. I do not recommend seeds, varietal ones may not work out the same variety. My seeds are posed only with the help of a brush from different plants. I steal rot, if suddenly, I remove it from the greenery. Lala in the first year immediately from the purchased bulbs I wish you good luck.