Indoor bulbous flower hippeastrum. Indoor lily hippeastrum - care at home. Replanting an indoor lily

Hippeastrum is a very beautiful bulbous perennial plant of the Amaryllidaceae family, which is very popular among gardeners for its high decorative qualities. Hippeastrum is native to South America. Monotonous, dull, dusty and flat steppes for many, many kilometers, which completely burn out in the summer under the merciless scorching sun, turning into a desert - the usual conditions for the growth of hippeastrum.

Hippeastrums have adapted to such a life. During the period of heavy spring rains, they quickly come to life, and the steppes are covered with a continuous carpet of blooming hippeastrums.

But there are especially many hippeastrums in Brazil. Brazilian hippeastrums, growing on desert plateaus and high-mountain meadows, have very beautiful flower colors: red on the outside and white on the inside. Also found in the wild is a species of hippeastrum with bright red, carmine flowers that shimmer like velvet in the sun.

In North America, there is a special type of Virginian hippeastrum, which grows in damp and shady forests. The flowers of this type of hippeastrum are of variable color: at the beginning of flowering they are purple, gradually the color becomes less intense and turns into pink, and then the flowers become white.

Often flower hippeastrum confused with amaryllis. However, experts will never confuse them: amaryllis has only one species - amaryllis belladonna, or beautiful (Amaryllis belladonna), the color of amaryllis flowers is mainly pink, amaryllis blooms in autumn and blooms in winter.

Among the hybrid hippeastrums, there are so many different shades and colors of flowers that you are amazed, from snow-white to purple. Hippeastrum flowers are very large, can reach 20 cm in diameter, and there are up to six flowers on a peduncle. Hippeastrum blooms in spring or late winter. If you wish, you can force hippeastrum to bloom twice a year, which cannot be done with amaryllis. The leaves of hippeastrum are belt-shaped, dark green in color, can grow along with the blooming of flowers, and sometimes appear after flowering.

Hippeastrum care

Dishes. Narrow and tall pots are better suited for growing hippeastrum, because in addition to the bulb, the hippeastrum also has roots that are quite long and during the dormant period they do not die off, but continue to feed the bulb.

You also need to observe the planting depth of the hippeastrum. The bulb should rise from the ground by one third. And don’t try to fill the pot too much with soil; it’s better to wait until it settles on its own and add soil to the desired height. Pots should not be too wide in size; it is enough if the distance between the wall of the pot and the bulb is only 2-3 cm. In too wide a container, hippeastrum may not bloom for a long time.

Earth mixture: turf soil, peat, sand, humus in a ratio of 2:1:1:1. The soil mixture for hippeastrums must be nutritious, water- and breathable with a neutral or alkaline pH reaction of the soil. Also do not forget about the drainage layer. Also, when transplanting hippeastrum, you can use ready-made purchased soil for bulbous plants.

Lighting. Hippeastrum is a light-loving plant, so it is advisable to keep it on south-west, south or south-east windows. The light can be either direct sunlight or bright diffused light. Hippeastrum hybrids that lose leaves during the dormant period can be moved to a cooler, darker place with the hippeastrum bulb.

Air temperature. Hippeastrum grows well at room temperature. In summer, the usual room temperature is +20 +25 0 C. In winter, the air temperature may be slightly lower.

Watering. At the beginning of winter, in order for the hippeastrum to wake up and come out of the dormant period, it is placed on a bright window. During this period, the hippeastrum has no leaves, it is not watered, otherwise the bulb can easily be destroyed. Until the flower arrow appears, the hippeastrum does not need to be watered. After the peduncle appears and until the flower shoot grows to 7-10 cm, watering the hippeastrum should be weak, otherwise the leaves will begin to grow to the detriment of the flowers. It is better to water in a tray or along the edge of the pot, without getting water on the bulb. As the peduncle grows, watering increases.

After the hippeastrum blooms, the leaves and bulb begin to grow, new flower stalks are laid for the next year, during this period watering should be regular. By the end of summer, watering stops. At this time, the hippeastrum begins a period of rest. The pot with hippeastrum can be placed in a cool place and not watered. If the room temperature is high, you can water it occasionally a little at a time so that the bulb does not dry out. Hippeastrum does not need high air humidity, so it does not need air spraying; it prefers dry conditions.

Top dressing. The first fertilizing of the hippeastrum can be done when the height of the flower shoot is approximately 15 cm. If the hippeastrum has recently been transplanted and there are enough nutrients in the soil, fertilizing can be done later. When feeding, focus on phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. They promote flowering, accumulation of nutrients in the bulb, and the formation of future flower stalks. But it is better to exclude nitrogen fertilizers, they can provoke gray rot, and the plant can be irretrievably lost.

Transfer. 30-40 days after the end of flowering, the hippeastrum can be replanted. Annual replanting is not at all necessary, but in this case, change the top layer of soil every year, because hippeastrum quickly consumes nutrients from the soil, and this will later affect flowering. You can also replant hippeastrum before it comes out of dormancy, that is, at the end of December.

Rest period. Hippeastrum needs a period of rest in order to bloom annually. It usually lasts from late summer to late October. When preparing hippeastrum for the dormant period from the end of summer, you need to limit watering and fertilizing. In many hippeastrums, the leaves die off completely.

Hippeastrum, if desired, can be grown without a pronounced dormant period. Then you need to keep it all year round on a bright, sunny window in a warm room, water it with warm water as the soil dries out, preferably in a tray. With this care, hippeastrum can bloom in the fall in October - November or in the spring in March - May. The dark green leaves of hippeastrum remain healthy throughout the year and do not lose their beauty.

Reproduction of hippeastrum. Hippeastrum is easily propagated by daughter bulbs that are completely identical to the mother plant. Children more than two centimeters are separated from the main bulb during transplantation. Young plants bloom in 2-3 years.

But what to do if some varietal hippeastrums do not produce children? In this case, hippeastrum can be propagated as follows: cut a healthy hippeastrum bulb into two to four parts with a clean and sharp knife so that each lobe has a part of the bottom. Carefully treat the onion sections with crushed coal and dry for two to three days. After the cut dries, each share can be added to a mixture of sand and peat or perlite. There is no need to bury such an onion; it should simply lie with its bottom on the surface of the earthen mixture.

But you can not completely cut the hippeastrum bulb to the end, but just make deep cuts so that the bulb is divided into two or four parts, but does not fall apart completely. The sections are treated in the same way with crushed coal and also dried for two to three days. After which the bulb is simply placed on an earthen mixture of sand and peat or perlite. Watering of such bulbs is carried out only through a tray. After some time, babies appear at the base of the cut onion.

Hippeastrum can be pollinated and propagated by seeds. In this case, sometimes a completely unpredictable result is obtained (so to speak, the breeder is his own breeder).

After pollination of the hippeastrum, a seed box is formed on the peduncle. In this case, there is no need to remove the peduncle; wait until the seeds ripen. But remember that such a procedure can greatly weaken the bulb, which will again affect flowering in the future: the flowers will be smaller, or the plant will not bloom at all. It is good to carry out experiments with hippeastrum seeds in open ground, where bees fly and the bulb will gain nutrients from the ground while the seeds are ripening.

Hippeastrum seeds are sown immediately after collection, otherwise they quickly lose their viability. Planting of seeds to a depth of one centimeter, seedlings appear in two to three weeks. Hippeastrum seedlings are light-loving, so place them in a bright place. To help small hippeastrums grow better, you can feed them with a weak solution of liquid mineral fertilizers. Young hippeastrums do not need a rest period.

Pests. The main pests of hippeastrum are spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects, and onion mites. Pests visible to the naked eye can be removed manually with a sponge or cotton wool soaked in an alcohol solution, after which the plant is repeatedly treated with a solution of Actellik, Fitoverm or Karbofos.

When planting in open ground, do not plant hippeastrum next to other bulbous plants, such as lilies, otherwise hippeastrum may be damaged by onion mite. The bottom of the bulb begins to rot and gradually the entire bulb rots.

Diseases. One of the most dangerous diseases of hippeastrum is red bulb burn, or staganosporosis. At the first detection of red stains and dots on the hippeastrum bulb, without regret, cut out all foci of infection to healthy tissue. Trim off any affected leaves and dead roots. All sections and the bulb itself must be treated with phytosporin, foundationol, and Maxim.

Dry the treated hippeastrum bulb for a week and see if new foci of infection appear. If everything went well, then plant the hippeastrum bulb in a new pot and a new substrate. At first, minimal watering and only in a tray with solutions of phytosporin and foundation to ensure disinfection. In this case, planting the bulb should be as high as possible, this will allow you to control the condition of the bulb. If everything goes well, then the soil can then be filled to the desired height. The main thing is to preserve the onion.

In addition to the red burn, hippeastrum can be affected by anthracnose and fusarium. Treatment is almost the same as for a red burn: removal of damaged tissue, repeated treatments with phytosporin, foundationazole, Maxim.

Remember, diseases appear from an incorrectly selected soil mixture, excess nitrogen fertilizers, improper watering (too much, or water got into the middle of the bulb), from lack of light. If the keeping conditions are chosen correctly, then the hippeastrum will delight you with its flowering for a long time.

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The indoor flower hippeastrum is very popular. It pleases its owners with its attractive appearance, it is especially beautiful during flowering - once a year beautiful star flowers appear on it. The culture requires special care and maintenance, especially during the flowering period.

Botanical description

Hippeastrum (lat. Hippeástrum) is a type of bulbous crop of the Amaryllis family. Belongs to perennials. It grows in the wild in South America, its homeland is Mexico and Brazil. Found in alpine meadows and mountain slopes. It was brought to Europe in the 16th century, and appeared in Russia only in the middle of the 19th century.

In regions with mild climates, hippeastrum is grown in open ground and indoors. The flower bulb is round, cone-shaped, 5-10 cm in size. At its base there is a bunch-like root system, which is formed along the edge of the bottom. The roots are fleshy, soft, slightly branched. The foliage of the crop is linear, keeled on the lower side with a characteristic vein, and grooved on the upper side.

As the flower matures, there is an alternation of leaves with a closed base and with an open base. An inflorescence is formed in the axil of the latter. The part of the stem on which the 4th leaves and peduncle have formed represents a cycle.

During the growing season, two or three such periods are observed. After the appearance of the peduncle, it takes an average of 1-1.5 years before it begins to bloom. The peduncle is a thin cylindrical stem reaching a height of 30-80 cm. It is colored light or dark green depending on the species. The surface is sliding, slightly covered with a waxy coating.

The inflorescences are umbrella-shaped. Flowers are up to 15 cm long and up to 25 cm in diameter. The color differs depending on the variety of hippeastrum. Most often, flowers are presented in white, pink and red shades. Has 6 stamens. The fruit of the crop is a dry capsule. About 60-100 pieces of dark flat seeds are formed in it.

Types and varieties

The culture is often confused and mistakenly called amaryllis. In old sources you can find that two different plants are called the same. In the mid-50s of the XX century. The International Congress decided to include only the species A. belladonna in the genus Amaryllis.

It is easy to distinguish amaryllis from hippeastrum. The first species has 6-12 inflorescences and an incomplete peduncle, and the second has 6-7 inflorescences and a full peduncle.

Modern garden hippeastrums are very diverse. Today you can find varieties with double and striped flowers. In total, about 600 hybrids of the crop are known. More often in indoor floriculture, G. hybrida (also known as h. Hybrida) is used. The plant is classified according to the size and shape of the flower.

In the catalog of hippeastrum varieties you can find:

1. Large-flowered. Represented by the following varieties: Hermes, Apple Bloss, Charisma, Minerva.
2. Medium flowered. The most popular varieties: Magic Green, Lemo nStar.
3. Small-flowered. Representatives are: Neon, Santa Cruz, Giraffe.
4. Terry large-flowered. The most common varieties are Blossom Peacock, White Peacock, Aphrodite, Lady Jane.
5. Medium-flowered double. The group is represented by Alfresco, Double Record, and Pasadena varieties.
6. Small-flowered double. The most striking representative is the Zombie variety; Sibistr. Representatives are La Paz, Esmeralda, Tiramisu, Rio Negro, Melfi.
7. Orchids. Common varieties are Papilio, Ruby Star, Exotic Star;
8. Tubular. Represented by the following varieties: Santiago, Pink Floyd, Rebecca.

Some varieties of hippeastrum in the photo:

Aphrodite

Santiago

Magic Green

Terry

Growing and care

When growing hippeastrum at home, special attention should be paid to caring for hippeastrum after flowering.

The following conditions are required:

1. Watering– moderate. Before the next moistening, the soil should be slightly dry. Bottom and top watering is practiced. During the flowering period it is abundant. After the arrow forms (4-5 cm), watering increases. Do not allow water to come into contact with the bulb.
2. Lighting– prefers bright and sunny places, but with diffused light.
3. Trimming. After the end of the flowering period, the peduncle is cut off. At the same time, fertilizing and watering are not stopped - these activities are stopped only after a month.
4. Place. Windows of any orientation are suitable. If the bulbs need to be grown, then preference is given to windows facing south, west or east.
5. Temperature. Suitable temperature is 18-24°C. A regime below 5°C adversely affects flower development.
6. Top dressing. Organic and mineral fertilizers are used for feeding. They are applied 2 times a month, alternating with each other. The optimal time for fertilizing is May-August.
7. Keeping in open ground. Caring for hippeastrum in open ground is the same as when keeping it at home. In some cases, watering becomes more intense.
8. Child care. During the flowering period, the flowering crop is protected from direct sunlight. If growth and development slows down, then the plant is moved to a warm place.
9. Does not require irrigation. The leaves are regularly wiped clean of dust.

Secrets of caring for hippeastrum on video:

State of rest

For further successful flowering, the crop requires a state of dormancy. From the end of summer/beginning of autumn, preparations are gradually carried out. First, reduce watering and finish feeding. In November, soil moisture stops completely.

With decreasing periods of natural light and lack of watering, the leaves fall off at the beginning of winter. The plant's dormant state lasts from September to January. After completion, the bulb is transplanted to a new location. Next, the pot is placed on the windowsill.

Required conditions for keeping at rest: suitable temperature – 12-15°C. The bulb can tolerate a short drop in temperature to -1°C, watering is kept dry, no moisture is required. Lighting – complete absence of light.

Important! You should not cut off the foliage during the period of natural wilting - there is a reserve in it for subsequent development and flowering. The remaining nutrients go into the bulb.

Hippeastrum flowering

As a rule, the flowering of hippeastrum begins in February-March. Some varieties bloom in late spring and summer.

You can achieve flowering yourself using forcing:

1. Method 1. Place the onion in a container with water (40-45°C) for 2 hours. Flowering in many specimens begins on average after 3-4 weeks.
2. Method 2. Watering is stopped at the end of August, after which the flower is placed in a dark place. In mid-January, watering resumes. Flowering of the Dutch hippeastrum after forcing begins after 1.5 months.
3. Method 3. Watering is stopped at the end of July and the leaves are cut off. After a month, moisture is resumed, and fertilizer is applied at the same time. With this method, flowering begins in August-September.

Replanting an indoor lily

The indoor lily quickly absorbs all nutrients. For this reason, it is recommended to replant established plants every 2 years. It is preferable to carry out the event before dormancy or shortly before leaving dormancy. Approximate time August/January. Transplantation can be carried out at another period, having previously decided on the timing of flowering. It occurs approximately 1-2 months after planting.

Before transplanting the plant, the soil mixture is first prepared. You can use universal soil. A prerequisite is good soil drainage. Next, the bulb is buried in the ground two-thirds of its height. Moisturizing begins with the appearance of flower stalks.

Special attention is paid to the pot for the plant. It is preferable to use narrow and tall containers, because... The root system of the flower goes down. The distance between the walls of the pot and the bulb should not exceed 3-4 cm.

Practicing for the summer landing hippeastrum in open ground on the site. Pronounced benefits - the plant increases growth, the bulb becomes larger. But there is one drawback - the flower is more exposed to the risk of pest damage.

Reproduction methods

The culture is propagated by children, seeds and division of bulbs. The last method is the most effective - it allows you to preserve all varietal characteristics. The simplest of all, but not always possible, is reproduction by children. In some cases, a daughter bulb does not form from the mother bulb.

Seed method

At home, hippeastrum is often grown from seeds. They are prepared independently by first pollinating the flower. Ripening takes place within 2 months. The capsule is cut off, then the seed material is taken out. After this, the land is prepared and sowed.

It is important not to delay this process, since the seeds quickly lose their viability. Cover the container with glass and wait for the first shoots. They usually appear within 2-3 weeks. To accelerate the growth of young bulbs, a weak solution of mineral fertilizers is applied. From time to time the container is ventilated and watered.

Bulb division

How to propagate by dividing the bulbs: for this method, large bulbs of a brownish-golden color with smooth scales are selected. Cut them lengthwise into 4-6 pieces. Each of them should have part of the bottom and leaf scales located inside the bulb. Part of the foliage that is in the embryonic state is removed.

The separated and prepared parts are cut and treated with dry coal. Next, it is buried in the sand. It is kept moist at all times.

After about a month, picking is carried out - during this period, small roots and two full leaves should form. Afterwards, transplantation is carried out to a permanent place in the ground. Flowering of seedlings with proper care is observed after 3-5 years.

Reproduction by children

The method of propagation conveys all the characteristics of the mother flower. First, the daughter onions are separated from the main one. Next they are buried in wet sand. Picking is carried out when the young plant has formed two small leaves. After 8-12 months, the flower is transplanted into deeper pots.

Caring for children - regular watering is provided and fertilizing is carried out. Flowering can be expected within 2-3 years.

Diseases and pests

Hippeastrum, both when kept at home and when grown in open ground, is susceptible to diseases. In addition to the characteristic signs, there is a cessation of crop growth.

Spider mites and scale insects are pests that attack the plant. They are located under the scales of the bulbs and on the foliage. First, insects are removed using a rag soaked in an alcohol solution. Only then do they begin processing. Suitable products are a solution of karbofos or Actellik. If necessary, the plant is transplanted into a container with other soil.

Red rot of bulbs is a dangerous disease for crops. If the appearance of the hippeastrum deteriorates or growth stops, it is necessary to dig up the flower and inspect the underground part. If foci of infection are detected, damaged parts and dead roots are removed.

• treatment with Fundazol and dusting with ash;
• after processing for a week, the bulb is dried;
• the soil mixture is watered with a special solution for disinfection (Fludioxonil is suitable);
• Then they transplant into new soil and observe the plant.

Mosaic virus is another disease of hippeastrum. When infected, yellowish spots appear on the leaves. The plant itself does not bloom and grows poorly.

A decrease in decorativeness or its complete loss is associated with improper maintenance conditions. If there is excessive dampness/low temperature, the flowers may darken. What to do - move the pot to a dry and warm place. Slight browning of the tips of the foliage may indicate a lack of potassium. In these cases, it is necessary to apply mineral fertilizers.

Exposition

Several blooming hippeastrums in the apartment are a unique sight. You can plant bulbs of different varieties in one pot, for example, Grand Diva, Sommertime, Rubistar. In some cases, flowers appear earlier than leaves; other crops with green foliage are planted next to them. The pot is selected in accordance with the design of the room.

As a rule, the forcing of hippeastrum is carried out for some holiday, often preparing it for the New Year. The flower fits well into the interior of the room, decorating and transforming it. One or more pots with a flowering plant are placed in a prominent place. The crop is also used for cutting. Inflorescences in the blooming bud phase retain their freshness and appearance for 10 days, and at low temperatures – up to 18-20 days.

Forcing hippeastrum on video:

Hippeastrum is a beautiful flowering plant that will decorate any room. Recommendations regarding the care and maintenance of hippeastrum during flowering and dormancy will allow you to grow a strong and beautiful flower at home.

Hippeastrum (hypeastrum, Hippeastrum, cont. hyperastrum, hipperastrum), which is often not quite correctly called amaryllis (amaryllis)- a spectacular indoor flower that usually appears in our homes during the Winter holidays. Huge bright hippeastrum flowers on thick stems and several basal linear leaves grow from a large bulb. What to do with hippeastrum after flowering? Why doesn't indoor hippeastrum bloom? Read about caring for hippeastrum in a pot, growing, replanting and propagating this beautiful indoor plant.

Hippeastrum or amaryllis?

Hippeastrum comes from South America, belongs to the family amaryllis and looks very similar to another famous plant: amaryllis belladonna ( Amaryllis belladonna) from South Africa , which we talked about in the article. Name confusion plants goes back very deeply, to the brilliant Carl Linnaeus, who back in the 18th century unmistakably identified the family plants and appropriated hippeastrum funny name amaryllis horseman, horse amaryllis (Amaryllis equestris), presumably, having seen in beautiful flower resemblance to a horse's head. In the 19th century, another prominent botanist D.W. Herbert upon closer examination amaryllis equestrian noticed that the resemblance to Amaryllis belladonna rather superficial, and separated the first into a separate genus, reflecting the connection with the horseman in the Greek name: hippeastrum, or star riders . Although hippeastrum belongs to its own genus, many people call the plant in the old way: amaryllis , or amaryllis - hippeastrum .

Hippeastrum: flowering

So, you have a blooming one at home hippeastrum in a pot. Care It is very simple to look after a plant that is gaining buds or is already flowering. Hold hippeastrum in a bright place at room temperature (not higher than 20°C), away from a heating source, turning over occasionally pot different sides to the light. This is necessary so that long peduncles with hippeastrum flowers grew straight. When turning the plant over, be careful: hippeastrum in a pot easily loses balance due to heavy and long peduncles. Water regularly hippeastrum, avoiding stagnation of water in the pots.

With the beginning hippeastrum flowering move the pot to a cooler place (15–18°C). Lower temperatures will extend the period hippeastrum flowering.

Hippeastrum: care after flowering

After the hippeastrum blooms cut off the wilted flower and wait for the peduncle to die naturally. Now you can carefully pull it out of the bulb. Hippeastrum care at this stage consists of regular watering, keeping them in bright light and feeding with a weak solution of fertilizer for flowering plants indoor plants(you can use a weak fertilizer solution for, or). All these conditions are important for hippeastrum flowering next winter, because the germ of a new flower is laid in hippeastrum bulb in this period. Lack of bright lighting and good care after hippeastrum flowering and in summer - the answer to a frequently asked question, why does hippeastrum not bloom? next season.

When warm weather sets in, you can take out hippeastrum on a bright balcony, loggia, in an unheated greenhouse or in a garden. Water all summer hippeastrum abundantly and regularly, protect the plant from direct sunlight and fertilize weekly. If hippeastrum spends the summer in the garden, make sure that they cannot reach him. By the end of summer - beginning of autumn hippeastrum leaves may begin to turn yellow.

Hippeastrum: preparation for new flowering, forcing bulbs, timing

To hippeastrum bloomed by the end of December, by, at the end of summer, the conditions of detention are changed plants. Hippeastrum in a pot move to a cool place (10-13°C) - on a terrace, garage, greenhouse or left in the garden. Lighting doesn't matter at this stage forcing of hippeastrum. Watering hippeastrum, as well as fertilizing, stop completely so that the soil is in potty dried up and hippeastrum leaves withered and died naturally. This forcing stage can last from 4 to 12 weeks. Bulbs during the dormant period (when the leaves have wilted) can be stored in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment, wrapped in paper. During storage, care must be taken to hippeastrum bulbs No moisture got in, otherwise they might rot.

At the second stage of distillation bulbs, hippeastrum transfer to a warm, dark room (some recommend the top shelf in the boiler room) and water generously once so that the soil is completely soaked. Now the hippeastrum is left for a week or two until it produces a peduncle with buds. The soil is not allowed to dry out completely, keeping it slightly moist. When the peduncle appears, the hippeastrum is placed on a sunny windowsill and regular watering is resumed, avoiding stagnation of water in the pots.

Hippeastrum flowering occurs 4-6 weeks from the start of the second stage forcing. Knowing the date you need and by which you want to receive blooming hippeastrum, count down to calculate the exact start time of the second stage of forcing.

Hippeastrum: planting and transplanting bulbs, propagation

Indoor hippeastrum in a pot A transplant is needed every few years. Hippeastrum transplantation done during the rest period bulbs, before the start of the second stage of forcing. During transplantation, they also Hippeastrum reproduction baby (small bulbs with roots growing from an adult bulb). Such plants They will bloom in 3-4 years. Small during transplantation hippeastrum bulbs can be carefully separated from the mother, trying to preserve as many roots as possible. Children are planted in small pots (see below) and cared for exactly like adult plants, with the exception of forcing, which is not done in the first years. Little ones hippeastrum bulbs It will also require replanting into larger pots as it grows. When grown up hippeastrum bulbs reach a diameter of 7 cm, they will begin to bloom.

Purchased from a garden center hippeastrum bulbs Can plant at any time in autumn and winter, following the rules of the second stage of forcing (they have already undergone the first stage of forcing in the nursery). Before planting roots in the ground hippeastrum soak for several hours in water at room temperature. Adults hippeastrum bulbs from the store will bloom 4-6 weeks after planting. Having planted several hippeastrum bulbs at different times, you can get continuous flowering of these beautiful plants from late November until late spring.

Plant and replant hippeastrum bulbs in small pots. Size hippeastrum pot should only be one and a half centimeters larger than the size bulbs along the radius of the pot. Use a good quality potting mix for indoor plants, mixed with coconut fiber or perlite (for better water permeability) in a ratio of 3:1. When planting, sprinkle with soil and compact hippeastrum bulb only 2/3: the upper part of the bulb remains open above the soil surface.

Related Articles

The genus Hippeastrum belongs to the Amaryliss family. It includes ninety species. Hippeastrum is native to the tropical and subtropical zones of South America, especially the Amazon River basin.

General information

Sometimes this plant is confused with amaryllis - they are indeed close, but not the same. Hippeastrum is a perennial flower that grows from a bulb. Its foliage is linear, growing more than half a meter in length and five in width.

Flowers similar to umbrellas form inflorescences and appear on a high peduncle. After flowering, a box of seeds appears, which have a very high germination rate when fresh.

This plant has features that need to be remembered.

• varieties whose inflorescences are white or light in color usually produce few high-quality seeds.
• In summer it is advisable to bury plants in open soil
• The flowering of hippeastrum lasts only 10 days.
• To do forcing you need to take only large bulbs.

The following varieties are quite popular: hippeastrum hybrid , charisma , papilio , picoti . The mix is ​​a mixture of different hippeastrum seeds.

Hippeastrum care at home

To grow hippeastrum, you need to choose a place for it with a lot of light, but the rays should not fall directly on it - the light needs to be diffused, but bright.

During the growing season, the temperature should not be lower than twenty degrees, but not higher than twenty-five.

Watering and feeding hippeastrum

Watering the plant during the growth period of green mass is minimal, but it must be increased little by little before flowering begins. Before flowering begins, watering should be done abundantly, but only so that the ground is not wet.

You can use only settled, not cold water for the procedure. You need to water so that the liquid does not get on the bulb.

At the end of flowering, you should begin to reduce watering and later stop it altogether.

For hygienic purposes, the leaves of the hippeastrum should be wiped with a damp cloth from time to time. When the peduncle reaches 15 cm in height, you should water the ground with a manganese solution.

And after five days, fertilize the flower with phosphorus fertilizer. In general, fertilizing during the growing season should be done every 15 days with a product for deciduous plants. With the appearance of foliage, products for flowering plants are used.

Hippeastrum transplant

Hippeastrum transplantation is carried out 3-4 years after planting, and then every year. This procedure must be performed before the start of the rest period or immediately after it ends. The pot for replanting should be taken a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one.

The soil for replanting should contain 2 shares of perlite, a share of leaf and turf soil and a share of humus. It is also necessary to put drainage in the container. The flower must be moved by transshipment so that the hippeastrum rhizome is not damaged.

The bulb must be covered with substrate so that a third of it is on the surface.

Hippeastrum dormant period

From the beginning of autumn until January, the flower begins a dormant period.

At this time, watering should be gradually reduced. This will cause the foliage on the plant to dry out and fall off. After this, the shoot will need to be cut off, and the hippeastrum itself will need to be kept in a dark and dry place where the temperature will be about 10 degrees. There is no need to water. The plant will remain in this state for about six to seven weeks, and then awaken.

Stimulation of hippeastrum flowering

To be sure that the hippeastrum will bloom, you can resort to some tricks. Let's say, keep the bulbs in warm water for three hours, the water temperature should be about 44 degrees.

You can also stop watering the flower in August by moving it to a dry, warm room. So the hippeastrum should remain until January - at which time it can be watered again.

To help the plant bloom, you can cut off all the foliage in July and stop watering for 30 days. When watering the flower for the first time after a break, add complex fertilizer to the soil.

Hippeastrum propagation by seeds

Hippeastrum can be propagated using seeds or vegetatively.

You need to sow the seeds as soon as you collect them, since fresh seeds germinate very well. If you allow the material to dry out, its germination rate will immediately drop significantly. There are no special requirements for the sowing process - the seeds just need to be placed in the soil.

Hippeastrum propagation by dividing the bulb

But it is better to use the vegetative method for propagation.

When replanting, you just need to take the children from the bulb and plant them, having previously powdered them with charcoal.

And another vegetative method is dividing the bulb.

At the end of autumn, you need to dig up the bulb, remove dry scales from it and make 4 vertical cuts. A knitting needle (not an iron one) is pushed into each lobe.

The bulb is looked after like an adult hippeastrum. As soon as the leaves appear, you need to start fertilizing the plant. Next spring it will be possible to divide the material and plant it in separate containers.

Diseases and pests

Various problems can arise with hippeastrum.

• For example, lack of flowering - this usually happens with a lack of fertilizer or poor soil. Also, flowering does not begin if the bulb is rotten.
• Yellowing of the plant's leaves is most likely due to root rot or the appearance of sap-sucking pests, but in this case, the yellowing is followed by drying out of the foliage.
• Sticky marks on the leaves appear due to scale insects.
• Hippeastrum can also be affected by aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites.

We have put together for you the most complete collection of tips and secrets for caring for hippeastrum at home. From the article you will learn all the most common difficulties that arise when growing hippeastrum, as well as all the necessary information on watering, lighting and other rules for caring for this flower.

You should pay attention(!) to the fact that hippeastrum is often confused with amaryllis, which can cause certain difficulties. Choose your seedlings carefully to prevent disappointment.

Hippeastrums are very beautiful perennial flowers, numbering more than 90 species. This will allow you to choose plants that suit you and your garden and interior, and satisfy any taste preferences. Hippeastrum will be able to please everyone and decorate a wide variety of flower arrangements.

General information about Hippeastrum

Sometimes this plant is confused with amaryllis - they are indeed close, but not the same. Hippeastrum is a perennial flower that grows from a bulb. Its foliage is linear, growing more than half a meter in length and five in width.

Flowers similar to umbrellas form inflorescences and appear on a high peduncle. After flowering, a box of seeds appears, which have a very high germination rate when fresh.
This plant has features that need to be remembered.

• varieties whose inflorescences are white or light in color usually produce few high-quality seeds.
• In summer it is advisable to bury plants in open soil
• The flowering of hippeastrum lasts only 10 days.
• To do forcing you need to take only large bulbs.

The following varieties are quite popular: hippeastrum hybrid , charisma , papilio , picoti . The mix is ​​a mixture of different hippeastrum seeds.

Latin – Hippeastrum.

Amaryllis family. Homeland - tropical America. About 75 species are common in nature. Currently, there are a large number of varieties that differ in the shape and color of flowers, all of them are combined into the species Hippeastrum hortorum. This plant has a large bulb, up to 20 cm in diameter, which only goes halfway into the soil.

The belt-shaped leaves are collected in a basal rosette, about 50 cm long. The flowers are collected in groups of 2-4 in an umbrella-shaped inflorescence on a long (up to 1 m) peduncle. The perianths are wide, up to 20 cm in diameter, bell-shaped, in a wide variety of shades: white, pink, red, burgundy, yellow, variegated. It has large stamens with bright yellow anthers. Blooms in February - early March.

Story

Growing amaryllis and hippeastrum in countries with temperate and cold climates became possible only from the end of the 17th century, when active construction of greenhouses began in botanical gardens and private estates. Foreign rarities were brought by sailors, botanists, and plant hunters encouraged by traders. In the 18th century, many students of K. Linnaeus took part in difficult and dangerous expeditions, which sometimes ended tragically. The genus Amaryllis, the predecessor of Hippeastrum, was established in 1737 in the work Hemera plantarum. Botanists previously referred to the plants classified as lilies (Lilium) and lion daffodils (Lilio narcissus).

• In his description of the garden of the burgomaster of Amsterdam G. Clifford, Linnaeus mentions four species of amaryllis, including A. belladonna, and in the famous book “Species of Plants” (Species plantarum, 1753) he already lists nine species of amaryllis. Later, in the process of botanical research, descriptions of amaryllis from Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil and other countries appeared.
• In 1821, W. Herbert established a new genus - Hippeastrum. He attributed to him more than 15 American species discovered by himself or published earlier, including some of Linnaeus's amaryllis.
• Their former names have become synonymous. Later, many hippeastrums were described by other botanists, for example, R. Baker - 25 species, R. Filippi - about 15, H. Moore - more than 10. Now there are descriptions of about 80 species of hippeastrum and one type of amaryllis.

Hippeastrum did not receive its modern name immediately after Herbert described this genus. For a very long time, confusion and confusion reigned in the taxonomy of these plants. True, some species, previously called amaryllis, were classified as hippeastrum, others “migrated” to neighboring, close genera.

Hippeastrum flower - features

Hippeastrum flowers are bulbous perennials. The round, sometimes conical bulb of the hippeastrum consists of a short thick stem and closed scales. The size of the bulbs, depending on the type, ranges from 5 cm to 10 cm in diameter. At the base (bottom) of the bulb there is a bunch of cord-like roots.

• The leaves of hippeastrum are linear, grooved on the surface, keeled below, 50-70 cm long, 4-5 cm wide, arranged in two opposite rows. Some varieties may have purple leaves, but they are mostly green.
• An umbrella-shaped inflorescence of 2-6 bisexual flowers 13-15 cm in length and up to 25 cm in diameter is formed on a cylindrical, hollow, leafless peduncle 35-80 cm high.
• The flowers, funnel-shaped or tubular, are located on long petioles; the color of the flowers is very different: dark red, bright red, orange, pink, white, etc.
• The fruit is a tricuspid capsule, spherical or angular, in which small hippeastrum seeds ripen. The germination rate of freshly harvested seeds is almost one hundred percent.

Homemade hippeastrum has several features that must be taken into account if you decide to grow it:

• – varieties with light and white flowers produce few full-fledged seeds;
• – in the summer, hippeastrum is best kept in the garden, buried in the ground;
• – the timing of the flowering of hippeastrum can be adjusted by timing it to certain dates - this is very convenient, considering that a blooming hippeastrum is a wonderful gift that replaces an expensive, exquisite bouquet;
• – each hippeastrum flower blooms for only ten days;
• – for forcing you need to use only large bulbs, which have accumulated a large supply of nutrients.

Home phytodesign of the highest class

The hippeastrum flower can be used to decorate any room, but it looks most impressive in the living room, hall, office, and dining room. It is best to place the composition in the center of the room, on tables, or special flower stands. In this case, it is advisable to decorate the flowerpot. This flower is quite beautiful when cut and in various compositions. Amaryllis and hippeastrum are plants with which not every indoor flower can compare in terms of expressiveness and attractiveness. To enhance the impression of its beautiful creation, experts recommend using not one plant, but several. It is recommended to combine them into a luxurious ensemble. These flowers look unusual in the interior of an apartment due to their catchy and sophisticated beauty.

When composing floral masterpieces, you must also remember that homemade hippeastrum stimulates performance. Therefore, it is often recommended to place pots with this plant in offices, home offices, and libraries.

Exhaustion

Stimulating energy allows you to maintain the necessary mental balance and promotes making the right decisions. It is this property that imposes the following growing condition: during flowering, the pet is exhausted, it needs regular rest, and it is impossible to stimulate the release of buds all year round.

Hippeastrum is a beautiful homemade creature that is distinguished by large, attractive, bright flowers. It is not so whimsical in cultivation, although it requires compliance with some simple rules. It starts to hurt when care is significantly disrupted. Hippeastrum is often used in phytodesign, allowing you to create unusual, stylish compositions.

Hippeastrum care at home

To grow hippeastrum, you need to choose a place for it with a lot of light, but the rays should not fall directly on it - the light needs to be diffused, but bright.

• During the growing season, the temperature should not be lower than twenty degrees, but not higher than twenty-five.
• Hippeastrum is an indoor plant, light-loving, but does not tolerate direct sunlight.
• During the growth period, hippeastrum can withstand any room temperature, but temperatures above 20 degrees are considered comfortable for rich flowering.
• The soil in the pot and the presence or absence of fertilizing are of little concern to him: during the flowering period, he spends the energy collected in the bulb over the past season.
• When forcing a 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.

Bulb selection, planting, transplanting

When choosing hippeastrum bulbs, take the matter seriously. Carefully inspect each bulb. They should be smooth, heavy, with dry scales of a brown-golden color, with good living roots.

• When buying hippeastrum in a pot, already with leaves, pay attention to its appearance. A healthy plant has leaves that are bright green, shiny, and adhere well to their bases.. In the weak and sick - drooping and dull.
• If the bulb has a red border and a dotted pattern, these are signs of a fungal disease(red burn or red rot). It is better to refrain from such a purchase: the plant will have to be treated for a long time.
• The next step is planting. Hippeastrums grow in any garden soil. But maximum decorativeness can be achieved if the soil composition is as follows: turf soil, humus, peat in a ratio of 1:2:1 with the addition of wood ash and bone meal. The latter can be replaced with double superphosphate (2 tsp per 1 liter container). Phosphorus provides plants with lush flowering.

The pot for hippeastrum should not be too large: the distance between its walls and the bulb is the thickness of a finger. Otherwise, the flower will grow a root system, lush leaves, have children, and refuse to bloom. But at the same time, the container must be quite stable, since this plant is large, and the flowers of some varieties reach 20–22 cm in diameter. They are especially heavy in terry forms. And when planting, the bulb is buried 1/2 of the height, that is, it is half visible from the pot.

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Care during the rest period

Keeping hippeastrum during the dormant period requires low temperature (+10 degrees), darkness and dryness, but not a basement. Trim off all yellowed and dried leaves. Around December - early January, we take the pot with hippeastrum out of the darkness and place it on a shady windowsill. When the peduncle hatches and grows to 10 centimeters, we move it to the illuminated side.

By the way, it is quite possible to grow hippeastrum without a dormant period. To do this, just keep it in a sunny place and water it as needed. With this care, it will bloom either in March-May or in October-November.

Alternate flowering with rest

Hippeastrum loves systematic care. A period of rest is required; without it, flowering simply will not occur. After the first buds appear, the temperature must be maintained at +18°C. If conditions permit, it is better to take the pot out onto the balcony, where your pet will have enough light and fresh air. As it grows, it is recommended to increase watering, but do not flood the soil.

Hippeastrum at home begins to be fed closer to summer every two weeks. From the middle of the summer season, you can use potash fertilizers to lay the conditions for flowering next year.

Once the plant has flowered, it is recommended to provide it with rest so that it can gain strength until next year. In winter, the temperature should be around 12°C, the bulbs are best kept in a dry room, no watering is required. Exact compliance with the conditions will ensure bright flowering next season.

Rest period

The resting period of hippeastrum is from September to January. If your plant spent the summer holidays in the yard, then by the beginning of autumn it’s time to bring it into the house. At the same time, they begin to gradually reduce watering, as a result of which the leaves of the plant dry out. After complete drying, the leaves fall off on their own, and the stem is cut off, the plant is transferred to a dry and dark room, the pot is placed on its side and stored at a temperature of 6-12 ºC without watering for 6 to 8 weeks until it is time for the hippeastrum to wake up.

From the beginning of autumn until January, the flower begins a dormant period.

• At this time, watering should be gradually reduced. This will cause the foliage on the plant to dry out and fall off. After this, the shoot will need to be cut off, and the hippeastrum itself will need to be kept in a dark and dry place where the temperature will be about 10 degrees. There is no need to water. The plant will remain in this state for about six to seven weeks, and then awaken.
• Hippeastrum needs a period of rest in order to bloom annually. It usually lasts from late summer to late October. When preparing hippeastrum for the dormant period from the end of summer, you need to limit watering and fertilizing. In many hippeastrums, the leaves die off completely.
• Hippeastrum, if desired, can be grown without a pronounced dormant period. Then you need to keep it all year round on a bright, sunny window in a warm room, water it with warm water as the soil dries out, preferably in a tray. With this care, hippeastrum can bloom in the fall in October - November or in the spring in March - May. The dark green leaves of hippeastrum remain healthy throughout the year and do not lose their beauty.

Summer flower maintenance

In summer, if desired, hippeastrum can be planted in open ground. In open ground, hippeastrum blooms better, the bulb quickly increases in size and produces many daughter bulbs. In autumn, with the onset of cold weather, hippeastrum is brought into the house.

Hippeastrum after flowering.

As soon as flowering ends, the plant needs to be prepared for rest, because the quality and timeliness of the next flowering directly depends on how correctly you prepare the hippeastrum for the rest period.

From mid-September, watering stops completely, and after the leaves fall and the wilted peduncle is trimmed, the plant is placed in a dark, dry room with a low temperature, where the hippeastrum will remain until the end of January or beginning of February. Then the pot with the bulb is placed in a well-lit place, watering and fertilizing are resumed, and the next period of active growth of the hippeastrum begins.

Dishes.

Narrow and tall pots are better suited for growing hippeastrum, because in addition to the bulb, hippeastrum also has roots that are quite long and during the dormant period they do not die off, but continue to feed the bulb.

You also need to observe the planting depth of the hippeastrum. The bulb should rise from the ground by one third. And don’t try to fill the pot too much with soil; it’s better to wait until it settles on its own and add soil to the desired height. Pots should not be too wide in size; it is enough if the distance between the wall of the pot and the bulb is only 2-3 cm. In too wide a container, hippeastrum may not bloom for a long time.

Earth mixture:

turf soil, peat, sand, humus in a ratio of 2:1:1:1. The soil mixture for hippeastrums must be nutritious, water- and breathable with a neutral or alkaline pH reaction of the soil. Also do not forget about the drainage layer. Also, when transplanting hippeastrum, you can use ready-made purchased soil for bulbous plants.

Lighting.

Hippeastrum is a light-loving plant, so it is advisable to keep it on south-west, south or south-east windows. The light can be either direct sunlight or bright diffused light. Hippeastrum hybrids that lose leaves during the dormant period can be moved to a cooler, darker place with the hippeastrum bulb.

Air temperature.

Hippeastrum grows well at room temperature. In summer, the usual room temperature is +20 +25 C. In winter, the air temperature may be slightly lower.

Watering and fertilizing

Watering the plant during the growth period of green mass is minimal, but it must be increased little by little before flowering begins. Before flowering begins, watering should be done abundantly, but only so that the ground is not wet.

• You can use only settled, not cold water for the procedure. You need to water so that the liquid does not get on the bulb.
• At the end of flowering, you should begin to reduce watering and later stop it altogether.
• For hygienic purposes, the leaves of the hippeastrum should be wiped with a damp cloth from time to time. When the peduncle reaches 15 cm in height, you should water the ground with a manganese solution.

And after five days, fertilize the flower with phosphorus fertilizer. In general, fertilizing during the growing season should be done every 15 days with a product for deciduous plants. With the appearance of foliage, products for flowering plants are used.

Proper watering

During the period of active growth and vigorous flowering of the plant, watering should be strong and plentiful, after the soil in the pot dries out. But gradually, as the dormant period of the hippeastrum approaches, the amount of water must be reduced, and after all the leaves have died off, it must be stopped completely. It is only permissible to add a small amount of water to the tray of the pot to maintain the viability of the rhizome.

• The soil should feel dry during the dormant flowering period, as excess moisture can trigger the growth of a new leaf, which will subsequently harm the hippeastrum flowers. After the new peduncle begins to grow, we begin to water again, but little by little.
• At the beginning of winter, in order for the hippeastrum to wake up and come out of the dormant period, it is placed on a bright window. During this period, the hippeastrum has no leaves, it is not watered, otherwise the bulb can easily be destroyed. Until the flower arrow appears, the hippeastrum does not need to be watered.
• After the peduncle appears and until the flower shoot grows to 7-10 cm, watering the hippeastrum should be weak, otherwise the leaves will begin to grow to the detriment of the flowers. It is better to water in a tray or along the edge of the pot, without getting water on the bulb. As the peduncle grows, watering increases.

After the hippeastrum blooms, the leaves and bulb begin to grow, new flower stalks are laid for the next year, during this period watering should be regular. By the end of summer, watering stops. At this time, the hippeastrum begins a period of rest. The pot with hippeastrum can be placed in a cool place and not watered. If the room temperature is high, you can water it occasionally a little at a time so that the bulb does not dry out. Hippeastrum does not need high air humidity, so it does not need air spraying; it prefers dry conditions.

Water procedures

Water the hippeastrum at the beginning of the growing season, you need to do it very sparingly, gradually increasing watering only from the moment the peduncle appears - a signal that the plant has begun the growing season. As the flower shoot grows and before flowering begins, watering should become abundant, but nevertheless moderate, so that the soil in the flowerpot is moist and not wet. It is best to water from the bottom or from a tray, gradually adding warm water until the earthen ball is wet. Avoid getting water on the bulb. After flowering, watering is also gradually reduced until it stops completely.

When the hippeastrum peduncle reaches 12-15 cm in height, water the soil with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate, and after 4-6 days feed the plant with phosphorus fertilizer. In general, hippeastrum is fertilized at the beginning of the growing season twice a month with liquid mineral fertilizer for deciduous plants, and after the leaves appear and for better formation of buds - with fertilizers for flowering plants in the same regime. Make sure that the concentration of minerals is not too strong, otherwise, instead of fertilizing the plant, you will burn its roots.

Do not forget to wash the leaves from dust in a warm shower or wipe them regularly with a damp sponge.

Feeding and fertilizers for hippeastrum

You need to start feeding the flower immediately after it has bloomed. 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 that lay new flowers in the future.

• It is better to take the hippeastrum outside until September (the beginning of the quiet period).
• If you have decided not to send the hippeastrum to a dark place, then during the flowering and leaf growth period the plant needs to be fertilized once every 10 days. It is better to do this with a solution of mullein (1 to 10).
• The first feeding of hippeastrum can be done when the height of the flower shoot is approximately 15 cm.

If the hippeastrum has recently been transplanted and there are enough nutrients in the soil, fertilizing can be done later. When feeding, focus on phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. They promote flowering, accumulation of nutrients in the bulb, and the formation of future flower stalks. But it is better to exclude nitrogen fertilizers, they can provoke gray rot, and the plant can be irretrievably lost.

Transfer

Hippeastrum transplantation is carried out 3-4 years after planting, and then every year. This procedure must be performed before the start of the rest period or immediately after it ends. The pot for replanting should be taken a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one.

The soil for replanting should contain 2 shares of perlite, a share of leaf and turf soil and a share of humus. It is also necessary to put drainage in the container. The flower must be moved by transshipment so that the hippeastrum rhizome is not damaged.

The bulb must be covered with substrate so that a third of it is on the surface.

Immediately after the end of 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 recommended to replant it rarely - 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 amaryllis soil - leaf and turf soil, sand, peat, humus (1: 1: 1: 1: 1).

Transfer.

Hippeastrum is replanted once every three to four years before the dormant period or before leaving it. It is very important to choose the right pot for the flower: the distance from the bulb to the wall of the pot should not be more than 2 cm. The soil should be approximately the following composition: two parts perlite (or coarse sand), leaf and turf soil and one part humus.

The soil must be sterilized before use. Don't forget about the drainage layer. Planting of hippeastrum is carried out by transshipment in order to cause as little damage as possible to the root system of the plant. The bulb is placed in the ground so that at least a third of it is above the surface.

30-40 days after the end of flowering, the hippeastrum can be replanted. Annual replanting is not at all necessary, but in this case, change the top layer of soil every year, because hippeastrum quickly consumes nutrients from the soil, and this will later affect flowering. You can also replant hippeastrum before it comes out of dormancy, that is, at the end of December.

Bloom

• And the third method of persuasion: cut off all the leaves of the hippeastrum in July and do not water it for a month, and with the first watering, introduce a liquid complex fertilizer (to avoid burns, first moisten the soil thoroughly, then add fertilizer). In August or September, your hippeastrum will bloom like a darling.
• To be sure that the hippeastrum will bloom, you can resort to some tricks. Let's say, keep the bulbs in warm water for three hours, the water temperature should be about 44 degrees.
• You can also stop watering the flower in August by moving it to a dry, warm room. So the hippeastrum should remain until January - at which time it can be watered again.

To help the plant bloom, you can cut off all the foliage in July and stop watering for 30 days. When watering the flower for the first time after a break, add complex fertilizer to the soil.

Which breeding method should I choose?

Hippeastrum indoors reproduces in various ways, usually no difficulties arise. The most difficult thing is to use seeds, since to obtain them it is necessary to ensure artificial pollination of the flower. This method is not recommended for use in the absence of experience. In addition, the first flowering after planting the seeds occurs only after 2-3 years.

Simple methods of propagation, which are accessible even to beginners, are dividing the bulbs and vegetative propagation by children. The plant can have children at any time of the year, their number depends on what variety is grown and what conditions are met.

Children are separated during transplantation. They must be carefully cut or broken off, after which all sections are sprinkled with crushed coal. The pots are taken small so that the distance between the wall and the bulb (baby) is only 2-3 cm. Dutch varieties are propagated using scales, since the number of children is minimal. The question of how to care for hippeastrum at this time is easily resolved. The soil is taken as for an adult plant; no special conditions need to be created.

propagation by seeds

Hippeastrum can be propagated using seeds or vegetatively.

You need to sow the seeds as soon as you collect them, since fresh seeds germinate very well. If you allow the material to dry out, its germination rate will immediately drop significantly. There are no special requirements for the sowing process - the seeds just need to be placed in the soil.

Hippeastrum can also be propagated by seeds, but to obtain them, flowers will need to be forcibly pollinated, and the seedling rarely blooms in the first two years and does not retain maternal characteristics.

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Children

The easiest way to propagate this flower is by propagation by children. However, gardeners are increasingly practicing dividing the bulb. For successful separation, you need a good, strong onion, which should be cut in half so that each part has an equal piece of scales and bottom left. Sprinkle fresh onion cut with charcoal or activated carbon, 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 arrives.

By dividing the bulb

But it is better to use the vegetative method for propagation.

• When replanting, you just need to take the children from the bulb and plant them, having previously powdered them with charcoal.
• And another vegetative method is dividing the bulb.
• At the end of autumn, you need to dig up the bulb, remove dry scales from it and make 4 vertical cuts. A knitting needle (not an iron one) is pushed into each lobe.

The bulb is looked after like an adult hippeastrum. As soon as the leaves appear, you need to start fertilizing the plant. Next spring it will be possible to divide the material and plant it in separate containers.

How else to increase the number of plants

Hippeastrum is easily propagated by daughter bulbs that are completely identical to the mother plant. Children more than two centimeters are separated from the main bulb during transplantation. Young plants bloom in 2-3 years.

But what to do if some varietal hippeastrums do not produce children? In this case, hippeastrum can be propagated as follows: cut a healthy hippeastrum bulb into two to four parts with a clean and sharp knife so that each lobe has a part of the bottom. Carefully treat the onion sections with crushed coal and dry for two to three days. After the cut dries, each share can be added to a mixture of sand and peat or perlite. There is no need to bury such an onion; it should simply lie with its bottom on the surface of the earthen mixture.

But you can not completely cut the hippeastrum bulb to the end, but just make deep cuts so that the bulb is divided into two or four parts, but does not fall apart completely. The sections are treated in the same way with crushed coal and also dried for two to three days. After which the bulb is simply placed on an earthen mixture of sand and peat or perlite. Watering of such bulbs is carried out only through a tray. After some time, babies appear at the base of the cut onion.

Other methods

Hippeastrum can be pollinated and propagated by seeds. In this case, sometimes a completely unpredictable result is obtained (so to speak, the breeder is his own breeder).

• After pollination of the hippeastrum, a seed box is formed on the peduncle.
• In this case, there is no need to remove the peduncle; wait until the seeds ripen.
• But remember that such a procedure can greatly weaken the bulb, which will again affect flowering in the future: the flowers will be smaller, or the plant will not bloom at all.
• It is good to carry out experiments with hippeastrum seeds in open ground, where bees fly and the bulb will gain nutrients from the ground while the seeds are ripening.

Hippeastrum seeds are sown immediately after collection, otherwise they quickly lose their viability. Planting of seeds to a depth of one centimeter, seedlings appear in two to three weeks. Hippeastrum seedlings are light-loving, so place them in a bright place. To help small hippeastrums grow better, you can feed them with a weak solution of liquid mineral fertilizers. Young hippeastrums do not need a rest period.

Reproduction

Hippeastrums reproduce by seed and vegetative methods. It is better to sow seeds immediately after collecting them, while they have one hundred percent germination. If you allow the seeds to dry out, then the ability to germinate becomes only thirty percent. Actually, sowing seeds is a simple, routine procedure, so there is no point in talking about it, especially since the seed method can only be used if there are seeds, and they can appear if you artificially pollinate the flower.

It is much easier to reproduce vegetatively, namely, by separating the hippeastrum babies from the mother bulb. This is done during transplantation. Separating the baby with a sterile sharp instrument, treating the cuts on it with crushed coal, we plant it in a separate pot and do not deprive the young plant of foliage for two years, even during the dormant period.

There is another way of vegetative propagation of hippeastrum - by dividing the bulb. It is carried out in November, when the bulb contains the maximum amount of nutrients. Remove the top layer of substrate so that only the lower part of the bulb remains in the soil. Remove outer dry scales.

Cut off the leaves, taking some of the top of the bulb. Cut the onion vertically into four equal parts so that the cuts reach the surface of the substrate; vertically insert plastic or wooden knitting needles with a diameter of 5-6 cm into the cuts so that the parts of the onion do not overlap.

Care for the bulb as you would an adult plant, avoiding allowing the substrate to dry out. As soon as the leaves appear, fertilize and continue fertilizing as usual. Next spring, divide the bulb and plant the parts in individual flowerpots.

Growing difficulties

The most common problems in growing hippeastrum are red rot, downy mildew and red burn fungus. And, of course, the above-mentioned pests - scale insects, aphids, scale insects and spider mites, which are destroyed with special insecticides.

• You can determine what the plant is sick with by how the hippeastrum looks. If there are red spots on the leaves and the bulb, then it is a fungal burn, if the white coating is powdery mildew, and if the leaves hang limply and rot is visible on the scales of the bulb, then this is rot.
• If there are signs of rot, all affected areas should be removed, diseased roots should be dried, the bulb should be dried, and immediately before planting in a new sterile substrate, the bulb should be treated with foundationazole. Powdery mildew is treated with special commercially available preparations.

And the red burn is eliminated by removing the bulb from the ground and cutting out all the lesions to healthy tissue. Then the wounds are sprinkled with a mixture of chalk and copper sulfate in a ratio of 20:1 and the bulb is dried for a week, after which it is planted in a fresh substrate, pre-treated with fungicides.

Diseases and pests

Various problems can arise with hippeastrum.

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Pests.

The main pests of hippeastrum are spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects, and onion mites. Pests visible to the naked eye can be removed manually with a sponge or cotton wool soaked in an alcohol solution, after which the plant is repeatedly treated with a solution of Actellik, Fitoverm or Karbofos.

When planting in open ground, do not plant hippeastrum next to other bulbous plants, such as lilies, otherwise hippeastrum may be damaged by onion mites. The bottom of the bulb begins to rot and gradually the entire bulb rots.

Diseases.

One of the most dangerous diseases of hippeastrum is red bulb burn, or staganosporosis. At the first detection of red stains and dots on the hippeastrum bulb, without regret, cut out all foci of infection to healthy tissue. Trim off any affected leaves and dead roots. All sections and the bulb itself must be treated with phytosporin, foundationol, and Maxim.

Dry the treated hippeastrum bulb for a week and see if new foci of infection appear. If everything went well, then plant the hippeastrum bulb in a new pot and a new substrate. At first, minimal watering and only in a tray with solutions of phytosporin and foundation to ensure disinfection. In this case, planting the bulb should be as high as possible, this will allow you to control the condition of the bulb. If everything goes well, then the soil can then be filled to the desired height. The main thing is to preserve the onion.

In addition to the red burn, hippeastrum can be affected by anthracnose and fusarium. Treatment is almost the same as for a red burn: removal of damaged tissue, repeated treatments with phytosporin, foundationazole, Maxim.

Remember, diseases appear from an incorrectly selected soil mixture, excess nitrogen fertilizers, improper watering (too much, or water got into the middle of the bulb), from lack of light. If the keeping conditions are chosen correctly, then the hippeastrum will delight you with its flowering for a long time.

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Problems during cultivation: how to eliminate them?

Hippeastrum, planting and caring for which is not so difficult, may lose its decorative appearance if the necessary conditions are not met. The most common problems are:

Red rot

It attacks bulbs and is considered a frequent visitor. The leaves become lethargic, and traces of rot appear on the bulb and its scales. What to do in this case? At the first signs of infection, you must immediately remove all affected areas, carefully cut out diseased areas to healthy tissue, and remove all dead roots.

The bulb should be dried (5-7 days is enough); before planting, experts recommend treating it with foundationazole. After this, the hippeastrum is planted in a new substrate so that most of the bulb remains above the surface. Only the roots and the bottom of the bulb remain in the soil. This will make it easier to observe the plant at first.

Downy mildew

appears when the humidity is too high and there is no ventilation. If you find signs of the disease, then you need to treat the plant with any specialized remedy for powdery mildew (you can buy it in flower shops). The conditions of detention also need to be changed.

Red fungal burn

– one of the most common diseases. It appears in the form of red spots on the leaves and bulb.

• Treatment should be started immediately, as the plant may die.
• The bulb must be removed from the soil, cleaned of diseased and dry scales, and all lesions cut out.
• The wounds should be sprinkled with a mixture of chalk (twenty parts) and copper sulfate (one part).

After this, the onion is dried for about a week, then planted in fresh soil. It is recommended to steam the substrate; it can be additionally treated with fungicides. Planting is done so that the bottom and roots of the onion remain in the soil.

Doesn't bloom

It also happens that hippeastrum does not begin to bloom at home. This happens for various reasons: excessive watering or lack of water, the bulbs are too small. Change the growing conditions, try periodically applying special fertilizers. Lack of flowering is also the result of the fact that your pet did not enter a state of rest.

Among the pests, it is necessary to note such as spider mites, thrips, and aphids. They are easy to detect; treatment is treatment with special preparations.

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If it doesn’t bloom, then why?

Sometimes this happens due to a lack of nutrients, because the hippeastrum plant is a gluttonous plant, and there is very little soil in the pot, so it is quickly depleted. For this reason, fertilizing should be sufficient and regular, as should watering. And it happens that a plant throws all its energy into fighting pests, such as spider mites, scale insects, and then it has no time to bloom. Hippeastrum does not bloom even when the soil is waterlogged and the bulb begins to rot.