The tropical plant Gloriosa is a member of the Melanthiaceae family. In nature, it is found in the tropical latitudes of southern Africa and Asia. The name of the plant comes from the Latin word "gloria" - glory, therefore it is also called "the flower of glory".
Gloriosa rhizome is a tuber, its thin shoots twist upward, clinging with antennae. Bright green leaves have an oblong lanceolate shape, on the stem they can be located opposite each other or 3 pieces each. Long peduncles are located in the axils of the upper leaves. They have two flowers each, formed by several petals in the form of lilies.
Directly under the flower there are perianths of 10 cm each, they are bright orange with a yellow frame around the edges. After the flower fades, the perianth also closes.
Gloriosa is popularly called the lily of fire, the lily of glory or the climbing lily due to the fact that it changes color during flowering from yellow to rich red. At the same time, a mature flower is somewhat similar to a fire on which the wind blows. The plant has a long flowering period during spring and summer, and dead buds are quickly replaced by new ones. One stem can have 4 to 7 buds.
Gloriosa care at home
Location and lighting
Gloriosa needs good lighting, but it needs shading on the south window, especially in summer. The best place for her will be the eastern or western window sills, and in the summer, the flower is best placed on the balcony.
Temperature
The optimum temperature for gloriosa is 20-25 degrees Celsius; it is in this range that it feels good from spring to early autumn. Further, the plant begins a dormant period when its tuber will need to be stored in a cool, dark place at temperatures above 12 degrees.
With the onset of spring, when new shoots appear on the tuber, the plant needs to gradually increase the temperature of the content. A sharp change in regime should not be allowed: from cool immediately to hot - this can ruin the flower.
Air humidity
To ensure the gloriosa has a sufficient level of moisture, you can add expanded clay or pebbles to the pan of the pot and fill it halfway with water. It is useful to constantly spray a moisture-loving plant with soft water at room temperature. In this case, drops should not fall on the blossoming buds.
Watering
The flower is abundantly watered only in spring and summer. Water for this will need to be well insisted. Before watering, the soil should dry out from above, but complete drying out is unacceptable. With the onset of autumn, when the leaves begin to turn yellow, watering is reduced, and in the winter period of dormancy is not watered at all.
The soil
Gloriosa grows well in nutrient-rich soil: humus and leafy soil in a 2: 1 ratio with the addition of peat or sand is quite suitable for it.
Top dressing and fertilizers
It is best to alternate the types of fertilizers: first mineral, then organic. The frequency of feeding is approximately 2 times a month.
Transfer
Once the dormant period is over, the gloriosa tuber will need to be transplanted into fresh substrate. It is placed horizontally in the ground, sprinkled on top with a layer of 2-3 cm.
The tuber is considered the most fragile and sensitive part of the plant; it should be protected from any damage. It is especially necessary to carefully monitor the integrity of the only growth bud at the rounded end of the tuber; without it, the flower will die. Unlike other tuberous plants, new gloriosa cannot grow from a single part of it.
The most suitable plant pot is a wide, shallow earthenware pot. It is not advisable to use plastic containers. Good drainage is also a must.
The transplant is carried out in late winter and early spring. After that, the soil must be regularly moistened, and the temperature range of the content is within 15-20 degrees. As soon as green leaves begin to appear on the surface, the plant is gradually accustomed to light.
Features of growing gloriosa
Like all vines, it is immediately recommended to tie up young gloriosa to a support, because the lower leaves may not have antennae, which means that the plant will not be able to curl upward. Thin wire or reeds are suitable as supporting elements. Supports with a large diameter are best used as a frame.
In May and June, the plant has the most intense growth period: the shoot can reach 1-2 m in height. To make the flower look aesthetically pleasing, you can not only tie up the stem, but also very carefully bend it down.
Dormant period
The first signs that a dormant period is beginning in gloriosa is yellowing of the leaves and drying of the stem. This usually starts in September, now you do not need to water the tuber. The size of the root crop depends on the watering regime: if it was abundant, then the tubers grow well, if there was not enough moisture, they, on the contrary, become smaller.
There are two ways to store root vegetables:
- Leave it in the same pot for the whole winter, do not remove it from the soil, keep it in a dark place with room temperature, away from heating systems. In February or March, plant in a new substrate. With this storage method, the tuber comes to life after 14 days.
- The underground parts of the flower can be removed from the old soil and placed in a box with peat or dried sand for the whole autumn and winter. The lid of the box will need to be tightly closed and placed in the refrigerator, where it is stored at a temperature of 8 to 12 degrees.
In this case, the tuber after transplantation in early spring will come to life a little longer than in the first option. But that shouldn't be a cause for concern.
Reproduction of gloriosa
Tuber propagation
It is best to propagate gloriosa with tuber parts. It is divided into several parts with a sharp knife and well sprinkled with charcoal powder. If the old root crop has children, then they are simply carefully separated from the mother plant and seated in separate pots. Containers for them are chosen with a diameter of 13 to 16 cm, and the soil can be mixed independently from part of the sod land, 2 parts of leaf and humus and half of the sand. The only point of growth on the rounding of the root crop should be located at the top, and the tuber itself is covered with a three-centimeter layer of substrate.
A freshly planted plant will thrive better at temperatures between 22 and 24 degrees. Watering can be started only after new shoots have hatched. It is better for weak stems to immediately provide support in the form of thin rods. As the gloriosa root system grows, the plant will need a larger pot or even open ground.
Seed propagation
Seed propagation of gloriosa can also be used, only you need to be patient. To obtain seeds, the flowers should be pollinated on their own using a cotton swab. Such self-pollination will lead to the formation of an ovary.
It is not worth storing the seed for a long time, but it is better to immediately bury it in the soil, consisting of peat, turf soil and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1. Create a mini-greenhouse for a constant climate, keep the temperature at least 22 degrees and regularly ventilate the planting. Sprouted seedlings, as soon as they grow up, thin out and dive into separate containers. The first flowers appear on them only after three years.
Growing problems, diseases and pests
- New leaves and flowers do not appear for a long time - little light, damage to the tuber or hypothermia.
- The leaves became lethargic and dark, the stems stopped stretching - sudden temperature changes.
- The leaves have turned yellow and their ends dry - there is little moisture in the soil and air.
- The leaves turn yellow at the base, the stems have become limp and wilted - waterlogging, decay of underground parts.
- Leaves with a white bloom - too much moisture in the environment and soil, or drying out of the earthy coma.
Gloriasis is most commonly infectedscabbard and aphid.
The poisonous properties of gloriosa
All melantium are poisonous. Gloriasis can be harmful if parts of it enter the digestive tract. Therefore, it is better to put the plant at home out of the reach of animals and children, and after contact with it, wash your hands thoroughly.
