Flower of heroes hippeastrum and the basics of caring for it

Tall, powerful stems topped with large buds that look so much like lilies in a loose state, and bright shades of petals, effectively contrasting with the dark green of the leaves, create an unforgettable sight. Hippeastrum is one of the most popular representatives of bulbous crops in indoor floriculture. The unpretentiousness and simplicity of agricultural technology helped him become a regular on the windowsills. The list of its advantages is complemented by the ability to adapt to open ground conditions, so that after flowering, the plant can be dug in the garden and left there until autumn.

Varieties

If we recall the closest relatives of the hippeastrum (amaryllis, clivia, eucharis, zephyranthes), its exotic origin becomes obvious. The natural habitat of the flower is the warm forests of South America, covering the shores of the Amazon. Science knows about 90 of its wild species. The catchy beauty of the blooming hippeastrum is emphasized in its name. "Knight's star" - this is how it sounds when translated from ancient Greek.

Hippeastrum has been cultivated for more than 5 centuries. Having quickly won the hearts of European flower growers, he began a triumphant march around the world. The popularity of the plant has contributed to the efforts of breeders, as a result of which numerous hybrid varieties have been obtained, suitable for breeding at home.

• Desire (Hippeastrum Desire). The average flower diameter is 17 cm, the petals are salmon-pink. There are usually 4 buds in the inflorescence. The length of the peduncle of this variety reaches 45 cm.
• Dancing Queen (Hippeastrum Dancing Queen). The inflorescence consists of 3-4 buds. The petals are two-colored (pale red with a white edging and a stripe in the middle), with strongly wavy edges, in the form of a wide oval. They can be up to 14. They make up a large (20-25 cm in diameter) double flower located on the top of a long (up to 60 cm) stem.
• Favorite (HippeastrumDarling). The petals are pink-lilac with a white center. The peduncle reaches a height of 45-50 cm. It has from 4 to 6 buds. When unfolded, their diameter is 20-21 cm. The throat of the flower is light green. The stamens and pistil at the base have a similar shade, gradually turning into white.
• Terry sleep (Hippeastrum Double Dream). Its flowers resemble peonies. They are large (on average 16-19 cm) and tightly packed. Each flower is formed by 20-30 petals. They are painted in a rich pink shade, their pointed tips can be light. The length of the flowering stem is 40-60 cm, 4-6 buds bloom on it.
• Christmas gift (HippeastrumChristmasGift). The petals are snow-white, with a wavy edge, broadly oval. The inner ones are narrower than the outer ones. Peduncle height reaches 45-55 cm, it is crowned with 2-4 buds. The throat of the flower is greenish. The pistil and stamens are light, yellowish at the base. The flower is wide open.

Regardless of the variety, hippeastrum is a perennial plant with a large (5 to 10 cm in diameter) bulb. It is often rounded, but it can also be conical. Linear leaves are up to 70 cm long and up to 7 cm wide. They are usually green. Individual varieties of hippeastrum are distinguished by an unusual purple shade of leaves. In most cases, the plant produces 1 hollow peduncle with a cylindrical section. There are no leaves on it. Blooming hippeastrum pleases with bright colors on the windowsill from late winter to mid-spring.

Lighting and temperature

This exotic needs bright, but diffused light. For its cultivation, windows oriented to the south, southeast or southwest are optimal.But on one condition: in hot midday hours, the flower will have to be shaded. When exposed to direct sunlight, its leaves become sluggish and burns.

Advice

To prevent the indoor hippeastrum from stretching and tilting to one side, the pot must be periodically turned.

For an actively growing flower at home, the most comfortable temperature is in the range of 17-25 ° C. In spring and summer, it is recommended to keep it outdoors (on the balcony or in the garden), protected from the bright sun and precipitation. Such conditions are most favorable for the development of the flower, and it grows strong and healthy. When the hippeastrum bulb enters a dormant period, the temperature is lowered to 10-13 ° C.

Rest at the flower begins in late summer or early September. Its growth stops, and the leaves die off. Hippeastrum at this time is kept in the dark (but not in the basement) and is not watered. Before removing the pot from the windowsill, prune the old leaves. At the beginning of winter, the plant is awakened from hibernation by exposing it to the shady side. The indoor hippeastrum is returned to its original place with the appearance of a flowering stem (when its height is 10 cm).

It is widely practiced at home and growing a flower without a dormant period. The pot is not removed from the sunny windowsill, moistening the soil in it in the usual way. Such care will ensure regular spring or autumn (October-November) flowering.

Watering and feeding

The hippeastrum bulb is very sensitive to waterlogging. The key to the health and proper development of the plant is competent watering. It is renewed at the end of the dormant period, when young leaves appear. While the peduncles are still small (up to 10 cm in height), moderate watering is enough for the plant. It is recommended to lead it through the pallet. It is necessary to pour the settled warm water into the pot carefully, strictly along the edge. The bulb of the hippeastrum quickly rots when water gets on it.

In the future, watering is increased, but between procedures, the soil in the pot should dry out. The same moisturizing scheme is followed after flowering. During this period, all the forces of the plant are directed to the development of the bulbs. Their ripening is a guarantee that the hippeastrum will bloom magnificently next year. The plant is prepared for the dormant period, gradually reducing watering. The signal for its complete cessation is the death of the last leaves.

Failure to follow this recommendation often answers the question of why the plant does not bloom. The budding process takes a lot of energy from the hippeastrum, which its bulbs cannot accumulate without proper rest. When water enters the soil, they wake up, releasing young leaves.

Advice

High humidity will not benefit the plant, so spraying is not included in its care.

When the peduncle stretches 15 cm in height, the soil in the pot is spilled with a pale solution of potassium permanganate in order to prevent fungal infections. 5 days after this procedure, it is time to nourish the plant. For this, mineral fertilizers rich in potassium and phosphorus are used. These elements help the hippeastrum to form flower buds. From organic fertilizers, the flower responds well to mullein solution (1:10). For plant nutrition, it is better to choose formulations that do not contain nitrogen - it is favorable for the development of gray rot, which is detrimental to the flower. Leaving in the form of dressings is carried out at intervals of 2 weeks. Before the rest period (1 month before it), the nutrient compositions are stopped.

Advice

Hippeastrum will be grateful if its leaves are periodically cleaned of dust and other contaminants by wiping them with a damp sponge or soft cloth.

Landing subtleties

The plant needs a deep pot: its roots are long. The diameter of the container depends on the size of the bulb. The space between its sides and the walls of the pot should remain a little - a maximum of 2-3 cm.In wide containers, hippeastrum does not bloom for a long time.

Planting the bulbs is carried out in loose soil.Her reaction can be neutral or slightly alkaline. Ready soil for bulbous crops is suitable for hippeastrum.

The substrate for a flower at home is made up of four ingredients:

• turf land;
• peat;
• humus;
• river sand.

The components are taken in a 2: 1: 1: 1 ratio.

In order for the hippeastrum bulb to germinate faster, before placing it in the ground, it is kept for 2-3 hours in water heated to 40-45 ° C. The bottom of the pot is covered with a drainage layer (expanded clay, clay shards). After filling the container with the substrate, the onion is immersed in it. Proper planting assumes that ⅔ of her height will be in the soil, and ⅓ above it. After slightly moistening the soil, the pot is placed on a light and warm windowsill. Not all growers understand how to care for hippeastrum after planting. The answer to this question is simple: leave the plant alone. Watering and feeding it begins only after the flowering stem appears, acting according to the scheme described above.

There is not much soil in the pot, and it is quickly depleted, so the bulb needs a transplant every 2-4 years. The procedure is started when the plant is preparing for the dormant period (at the end of summer) or is about to leave it (in December). To prevent root damage, the transplant is carried out using the transshipment method. If the shoots have dry or rotten areas, they are cut with a sharp knife to healthy tissue. The wounds are disinfected by sprinkling them with powdered charcoal.

Fresh substrate for hippeastrum can be prepared by mixing in a 2: 1: 1: 1 ratio the following components:

• perlite (coarse sand);
• leafy ground;
• sod land;
• humus.

A newly acquired plant does not need a transplant. Blooming hippeastrum should not be exposed to it. During this period, it is only allowed to replace the surface layer of the substrate in the pot.

Advice

So that the hippeastrum does not waste energy on the formation and growth of fruits, after flowering, the arrow is cut shortly. Do not touch it only when it is planned to collect seeds.

Seed sowing rules

At home, they practice generative and vegetative reproduction of the hippeastrum. The seeds of the plant ripen in capsule fruits. If you do not delay their planting, they sprout well. It will take about 2 months for the seeds to ripen. To speed up this process, the boxes are sprayed with a boric acid solution (5%).

Before sowing, the seeds are germinated. Putting them in a damp cloth, the bundle is placed in a container. It is covered with glass and kept warm. After 10 days, the seeds are planted. The substrate for them is prepared from three components:

• leafy land;
• peat;
• sand.

The seeding depth is 2 cm. The emergence of seedlings will have to wait 2-3 weeks. Seedlings need to be provided with good lighting and protection from direct sunlight. When they release 2 true leaves, they are seated in individual pots of small (7 cm) diameter. Further care for hippeastrum grown from seeds consists in moderate watering and fertilizing with mineral compounds, which are stopped in mid-August.

In the first 2 years of life, flowers are not sent during the dormant period. Forcing begins when the bulb of the hippeastrum reaches 3-4 years of age, and its diameter is 5 cm. If you reduce watering from August and completely stop moisturizing the former seedlings in September, then in February or early spring they will please with the first flowering. Although caring for seed-derived hippeastrum is not cumbersome, due to the length of time the bulbs mature, generative propagation is rarely used.

Alternative breeding methods

It is much easier to grow new flowers from babies. The main advantage of vegetative propagation is the guaranteed result: daughter bulbs inherit all the characteristics of the variety. This is especially important for hybrid flower varieties. For planting to be successful, use large (at least 2 cm in diameter) well-developed bulbs, on the bottom of which there are already roots.It is convenient to separate them from the mother plant during the pot replacement procedure.

You can force the indoor hippeastrum to form more children. To do this, deep cuts are made on an adult bulb, dividing it into 2-4 parts. After sprinkling the wounds with crushed coal, it is kept outdoors for several days. When the hippeastrum bulb dries up, it is placed in a mixture of sand and peat. Watering is carried out exclusively from the bottom. A little time will pass, and small daughter bulbs will appear at the base.

Planting of children is carried out in a common container in a nutrient substrate to a depth of 3-4 cm. Young (up to 2 years old) plants are kept in the light all year round. They are watered sparingly, less often in winter than during the growing season. Hippeastrum that has reached 3 years of age are seated in separate pots. Caring for them, they adhere to the recommendations for keeping an adult plant. They bloom at 3-4 years of age.

If the hippeastrum does not give children, its reproduction is carried out by parts of the bulb with the bottom and roots. It is better to divide it in November: by this time enough nutrients have accumulated in it. After disinfecting the slices, the cuttings are dried for 2-3 days. They are planted in a substrate of three components:

• turf land;
• peat;
• sand.

For the cuttings to take root, the soil must remain slightly moist. Parts of the bulb take root in warmth (at a temperature of 23-25 ​​° C). With the appearance of leaves, young hippeastrum are transplanted into permanent pots. Caring for them is carried out according to the standard scheme.

Another popular method for dividing the onion is that it does not need to be removed from the pot. After removing the top layer of the substrate, it is cleaned of dry scales. The leaves are cut short (together with the crown of the bulb). After that, it is divided into 4 identical parts with a sharp knife. The cuts should almost reach the bottom. Wooden or plastic sticks with a diameter of 0.5-0.6 cm are inserted into them (knitting needles are possible). Their task is to prevent the closing of the divisions.

Bulb care is reduced to regular watering. The substrate should not dry out. With the appearance of leaves, the first feeding is carried out. In the future, the flower is fertilized in the usual way. In the spring, the onion is removed from the pot, cut to the end and the cuttings are planted in individual containers.

Handsome hippeastrum almost does not require the attention of a grower. There is only one difficulty in growing it at home - the need to provide the bulb with a dormant period. Some varieties of culture can do without it, releasing peduncles 2 times a year. But this approach dramatically depletes the bulb. Over time, the buds of the hippeastrum become smaller, and once a weakened plant may not have enough strength to lay a flower arrow.