Useful information

Hippeastrum is a cavalry star!

Hippeastrum Aphrodite

My fascination with hippeastrum began quite recently: by chance, through an exchange, several bulbs of this plant came to me. The bulbs were small, so there was no thought of flowers. Imagine my surprise when one plant nevertheless threw out a small arrow. The flower was also small, but charming! The one who once raised this miracle and admired the plant during flowering is no longer able to part with it. So it happened to me: my collection of hippeastrum began to grow rapidly. And the more plants became, the more I experienced "information hunger". I think this happens to many, so I want to share with the readers my knowledge (those that I "dug up" in various sources, and obtained as a result of my own experience) about this interesting plant.

Genus name Hippeastrum (Hippeastrum) comes from Greek words hippeos - "cavalier" and astron - "star", which is reflected in the second name of the plant: "cavalry star", or "cavalier among the stars." The genus hippeastrum belongs to the large family of amaryllis (Amaryllidaceae)... Hippeastrum is very often mistakenly called amaryllis, although these two plants, outwardly very similar, have distinct biological and morphological differences. The homeland of the amaryllis is South Africa. Hippeastrum was introduced to Europe as one of the first ornamental plants from tropical regions of Central and South America in 1693. And in 1753 Carl Linnaeus gave the plant the generic name amaryllis due to its external resemblance to the African amaryllis (Amaryllis belladonna). This native of South Africa - the Karoo Desert - was introduced to Europe almost simultaneously with hippeastrum. Beautiful and unusual plants have found many admirers who have grown them with great pleasure. Among the enthusiasts for breeding and hybridization was the English florist and scientist William Herbert. It was he who found out that the South American species cross quite easily with each other, but it is impossible to cross them with the South African species. A deeper study of the structure of these plants showed that the structure of fruits and seeds is different for them. Herbert came to the conclusion that Linnaeus made a mistake by combining these two plants, and in 1821 proposed a new classification system, leaving only one species in the genus Amaryllis - the African amaryllis, and attributed all American species to a new genus, which he gave the name Hippeastrum. And in 1963, a special commission was created on the issue of confusion with the names of these plants, which made the final conclusion: hippeastrum and amaryllis are two different genera. But confusion still occurs, so I will try to characterize both of these plants, since there are still quite a lot of differences.

Have amaryllis leaves 3-4 cm wide, and dense, filled fleshy peduncles end with inflorescences of 6-12 fragrant flowers, collected in a scutellum. Flowers of white, lilac, purple hue. The flower petals are pointed, the bulb is elongated, regularly, after flowering, forms many daughter bulbs (babies). Mature seeds are light green in color. Amaryllis blooms in autumn.

Hippeastrum Double Dragon

Belt-like leaves hippeastrum wider - 6-7 cm, their length reaches 60 cm. Peduncles are hollow, up to 90 cm high (and some varieties even 1.2 m) and bear 2-6 large flowers in an umbrella-like inflorescence. Flowers are funnel-shaped or bell-shaped, up to 18-22 cm in diameter, tubular at the base, completely odorless, large stamens with bright yellow or orange pollen. The range of colors is much wider than that of amaryllis: reds, white, pink, various shades, monochromatic and variegated. Only blue and blue shades are not typical for them. The flowering period of each flower is about 5 days. In cut at a temperature of 18–20 ° C, flowers last 10–12 days, at a lower temperature - up to 20 days, without losing their decorative effect.Seeds are dark brown, flat, disc-shaped. The bulb is more rounded in shape than that of amaryllis. Most modern highly decorative varieties do not form baby bulbs or form very few and irregularly. Hippeastrum blooms in winter or spring. Although it can be "made" to bloom whenever you want.

Hippeastrum is a perennial bulbous plant. The bulb of an adult plant consists of 12-24 scales (about 30 cm in diameter) with 3-6 inflorescences located between them, which are at different stages of development. In the third year, the bulb becomes sexually mature, that is, an inflorescence is formed in it. From the moment the inflorescence is laid to flowering, 12-16 months pass. At the onset of puberty, there is a strict alternation of leaves with a closed and open base (scales). After three leaves with a closed base, a leaf with an open base follows, inside which an inflorescence is formed. Each month, the plant throws out one leaf (although during the dormant period these leaves may not show out). It is easy to calculate that in a year, hippeastrum forms 3 inflorescences, but in order for even one to bloom, you need to fulfill some requirements. The main task is to provide the plant with nutrients and prevent the bulbs from shrinking in size. They become smaller in poor lighting, with the formation of an excessive number of children or with too abundant flowering. It is possible to compensate for the loss of mass by the bulb during flowering only with regular mineral dressings.

Hippeastrum Dancing Queen

After the onset of puberty in hippeastrum, all cycles of its development are repeated from year to year: during flowering and at the beginning of enhanced leaf growth, the supply of nutrients in the outer scales is actively consumed, and the diameter of the bulb decreases. Then, during the growing season of plants, the bases of the assimilating leaves begin to quickly thicken, new leaves are laid in the bud of renewal, and the diameter of the bulb increases significantly. All these processes in a greenhouse culture are ongoing.

You can grow hippeastrum in any of the following ways: in soil (in pots on the windowsill with transplanting into the ground for the summer) and in hydroponics; without a dormant period (constantly with leaves); as a distillation culture (after distillation, the bulb is discarded).

The flowering of hippeastrum depends on agricultural technology: the time of planting the bulbs, the temperature in the room. By adjusting the timing of the dormant period and the temperature regime, you can achieve flowering at any time of the year. Since it is usually impossible to regulate the temperature regime in room conditions, I will tell you how you can achieve flowering of hippeastrum by changing the watering regime and performing several simple operations.

For a plant to accumulate enough nutrients for flowering, the growing season must last 6–8 months. Care during the growing season consists in systematic weeding and loosening of the soil, watering and feeding with liquid organic or complete mineral fertilizer. The optimal ratio of elements in fertilizer: nitrogen - 14%; phosphorus - 10%; potassium - 27%. The fertilizer concentration is 20 g per 10 l of water, the frequency of fertilizing is 1 time in 10 days.

Hippeastrum Charisma

For the bulbs to be further suitable for forcing and to obtain flowering at certain times after the growing season, they need a period of relative dormancy (8-9 weeks). At this time, the temperature should be around 13–17 ° C, and the plants do not have to be taken out to a dark place. Care consists in the timely removal of dried leaves. Watering is reduced to a minimum, so that the roots do not dry out, since they are perennial. It is allowed to store bulbs in a cool place (9 ° C) without planting in the ground. It should be remembered that, unlike tulips, hyacinths and other bulbs, hippeastrum bulbs do not lose their fleshy root during dormancy, but even a slight damage to it sharply impairs vegetative growth and generative development.Therefore, when digging, transplanting and storing a plant, it is important to keep the root system intact.

After the end of the dormant period, the bulb of the hippeastrum must be removed from the pot and carefully cleaned of rotten roots, old dried scales, treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and planted in new soil. The soil mixture should be of medium density, with an acidity of pH 6–6.5. It is made up of equal parts of humus, sod, leafy soil, peat and sand. The container for planting the bulb should not be too large: from the bulb to the edge of the pot - no more than 2–3 cm. Plants do not bloom for a long time in a dish that is too spacious. The bulb is planted so that a third of it is above the substrate. Drainage is required! If the bulb was stored without soil, it must be cleaned of old scales, soaked in a disinfectant solution, and before planting, the bottom with roots should be placed in a container with warm water for several hours. By planting the bulbs at intervals of two weeks, the hippeastrum will bloom throughout the winter.

Hippeastrum Benfica

In the initial period of forcing, they are watered moderately. Excessive soil moisture, especially in winter, in combination with low temperatures causes the death of roots, the spread of various fungal diseases. If the temperature is high, and watering begins before the peduncle appears, then unwanted growth of roots and leaves can be caused to the detriment of flower development. Watering begins only when the flower arrow reaches a height of 3-5 cm. From the moment the arrow appears to flowering, 33-50 days pass. When the buds emerge from the bracts or the bulb, they are located first vertically, and then diverge horizontally, and the flower opens. During the period of growth of the peduncle, before the flowers bloom, the pot with the plant is periodically rotated around the axis so that the peduncle does not bend in one direction. If the room is warm, then the peduncle and buds are sprayed daily with warm water. For hippeastrum during the period of peduncle growth, a temperature of 20-24 ° C is recommended. Flowering lasts from 5 days to two weeks, depending on the number of flowers in the flower arrow. The intensity and duration of illumination at this stage does not affect the flowering time of the hippeastrum. To prolong flowering, after the first flowers bloom, it is rearranged to a cooler place. It is better not to cut the flower stalks immediately after flowering, but let them wither on the plant, then some of the nutrients will return to the bulb.

After flowering, the hippeastrum begins a period of intensive growth of leaves and the accumulation of the necessary supply of nutrients for the formation of peduncles of the next year. During this period, the plant is either planted in the ground (greenhouse, greenhouse, garden), or left to grow in a pot. But they definitely provide enhanced care - regular feeding with a high potassium content. The more leaves are formed on a plant during the growing season, the more flower stalks will be laid. The active growth of leaves is observed 2 times a year: in early spring or in winter, after flowering and in summer at the end of June - July. Then the old leaves wither, they are cut or shortened. This is where the life cycle of the hippeastrum ends, and the rest period begins again.

Hippeastrum Blossom Peacock

Hippeastrum is physiologically undemanding to the dormant period and can bloom twice, or even three times a year. It can be grown without a dormant period. Then the plants are kept throughout the year (on the sill of a south-facing window) in a warm room, regularly watered and fed. With this content, flowering occurs irregularly and unpredictably, but the leaves do not lose their beauty throughout the year.

The only thing that can upset both an amateur and a professional is the disease of green pets. One of the most common and most dangerous diseases for hippeastrum is stagonosporosis, or red rot, of bulbs, or "red burn", which is caused by a fungus Stagonospora curtisii... It is characterized by the appearance on the leaves, roots, peduncles and bulbs of red streaks, spots, cracks, the flower arrow becomes shorter. The development of the disease is promoted by high humidity, insufficient ventilation (stagnant air in the room), dense soil, excessive nitrogen content in the substrate, deep planting of bulbs, etc. To prevent this disease, along with the exclusion of the above factors, regular soil and plant treatment with Fundazol (0 , 2%), Topsin (0.1%) and other fungicidal preparations. But if, nevertheless, the disease struck your plant, you can even try to cure a very severe defeat with the following set of measures. Shake the plant out of the pot, remove the top dry scales, as well as all diseased ones. In more or less healthy ones, cut out all foci of infection to healthy tissue. Trim off any dead roots. If the plant is growing, shorten the leaves. Dry the treated onion for 5-7 days. Treat it before planting with Fundazole solution (you can limit yourself to surface spraying with a 0.2% solution). Plant the bulb in a new substrate, excluding humus from it and adding chopped sphagnum, so that the entire bulb is above the soil. Only the bottom and roots are left in the ground. This will allow you to monitor the condition of the bulb and process it in time in case of a relapse of the disease. Wate the substrate thoroughly with the foundation solution. Watering is minimal; in no case should water get on the bulb!

Thrips, various types of mites, scale insects, aphids, and scale insects may also appear on hippeastrum plants. To destroy them, use 0.1% Actellic solution, 0.3% Karbofos and other drugs.

But remember: it is better to play it safe in the fight against infection or even abandon a sick plant, even a loved one, so as not to infect all other pets!

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