All about the indoor flower hippeastrum. Hippeastrum (45 photos): planting, growing, care. Reproduction by daughter bulbs

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 it’s amazing, 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 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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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 dormant period 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 is over, 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 needs to be reduced, and after all the leaves have died, it should 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.

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. When 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.

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.

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.

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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. The 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.

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 Do not get any moisture, otherwise they may 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.

Hippeastrum is a beautiful indoor plant that is often grown on windowsills. It earned its fame thanks to its original colors that attract attention.

It is a bulbous plant native to Latin and Central America. Belongs to the genus Amaryllidaceae.

Florists have developed many interesting varieties. It differs from real amaryllis in that hippeastrum has up to 6-7 flowers on a hollow peduncle.

You will learn in this article how to care for Hippeastrum at home, how to replant a flower, what soil is needed for Hippeastrum and much more.

Photo

Home care
The Hippeastrum flower does not require any special care at home. It develops well and blooms at home. It is considered an excellent plant for forcing; it is only important to create the necessary conditions for flowering and choose the right time to start the growing season.
Important: Effective flowering occurs when maintenance conditions close to natural are observed.

Conditions and temperature
Moderate temperatures in summer are suitable for it, within 22-25 degrees. Hippeastrum tolerates wintering calmly. However, special care is required for Hippeastrum in winter. At this time, the bulbs go into a dormant state, so they need to be provided with cool conditions, about 10-12 degrees Celsius. It is not recommended to lower the temperature below this limit, as well as to store it in too warm conditions to avoid unwanted germination or drying out of the bulb.

Humidity and watering
Indoor Hippeastrum come from arid areas, so they do not really need additional spraying, and at low ambient temperatures this can also cause damage. Also do not spray during the flowering period.
Watering should be taken with full responsibility: Severe waterlogging can damage the bulbs. Between watering, you need to let the soil dry out a little.
Towards the end of the growing season, when flowering stops and the leaves begin to dry out, watering is gradually reduced. Bulbs that have fallen into a dormant period do not need watering; but if they are too dry, you can moisten them slightly.
Attention: a dormant period is required for this plant.

Placement and lighting
For Hippeastrum, choose a light location. It feels good both in diffused light and in direct sunlight. Good light is important for full flowering. Lack of lighting can even cause home hippeastrum to refuse to bloom.

Soil and planting
It is recommended to plant in soil made from a mixture of turf soil, peat and sand. Since the plant has a clearly defined dormant period, there is no need to completely replace the soil every year; you can do this less often if additional feeding is available.

Trimming
The dormant period lasts approximately from late October to early February. The plant's flower stalks begin to dry out, and then the leaves. The flower stalks themselves are cut off when they are dry, and the leaves are left until they are completely dry, then they can be carefully plucked off.
After the leaves have dried, the bulbs are moved to a dark, cool place: during this period, light and moisture are not needed.

Growing and Reproduction
For full flowering, a dormant period must necessarily pass; it usually lasts 2-3 months. It is necessary to prepare for flowering in advance; this takes 6-8 weeks. Pots with bulbs are planted in the ground and brought into a warm room.
Before planting, the bulbs should be checked and cleaned of dry roots. It is not recommended to take the pot too large; its diameter should not be more than 10 cm than the bulb itself. After which you should water it lightly, but not too much, so that the still dormant bulbs do not rot. In a few weeks the plant will produce a beautiful bud.

Top dressing
Fertilizers are given during the period of active growth, approximately once every 3 weeks. A month before the start of the dormant period, feeding is stopped. Fertilizers for Hippeastrum should be applied either mineral or for beautifully flowering plants.

Bloom
Flowering lasts approximately 3-4 weeks. At this time you need to feed. To achieve the beginning of flowering, keep the bulb slightly damp, but without flooding. When the first sprout appears, watering is increased slightly.
Flowering occurs in about 1 or 2 months, depending on conditions and the availability of sufficient light.
After flowering ends, the dried arrow is cut off, but the leaves are not touched. The green peduncle is not cut off, but allowed to dry on its own.
After this, it continues to grow green mass and recover. The next flowering will be much more effective if the plant is given a period of rest.
During flowering, the bulb produces one or two arrows, on which are located 4-6 large flowers, slightly reminiscent of a lily in appearance.

Transfer

Useful video
You can learn more about caring for “Hippeastrum” at home in the video below:

Diseases and pests
Hippeastrum does not always bloom at home. In some cases, flowering cannot be achieved. This often happens due to improperly organized rest period. In addition, watering affects the condition - if it is excessive, the bulb may begin to rot. A lack of minerals and an incorrectly chosen location may also be the reason for the lack of flowering in hippeastrum.
Sometimes it is attacked by pests. The most common - spider mites, scale insects and scale insects. They are fought with the help of special drugs. You should choose those pest control products that are recommended for use indoors.

Benefits and harms
Indoor flowers Hippeastrum are poisonous plants. Care should be taken when working with bulbs. After any work, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
Pets and children should not touch the poisonous parts of the plant to avoid an allergic reaction and poisoning.
Hippeastrum– an interesting plant that can transform any interior. Its bright flowers leave no one indifferent. A forced period of dormancy may cause concern, but if it is organized correctly, hippeastrum will delight you with flowering twice a year.
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Hippeastrum is a bulbous plant of the amaryllis family with long leaves and large flowers of extraordinary beauty crowning a tall peduncle. Blooming hippeastrum will not leave indifferent even those who are not fond of flowers. This spectacular houseplant is native to Central America, where about 75 species of hippeastrum are found. The name of the genus comes from the Greek. hipperos - gentleman and astron - star. In this article we will tell you about all the nuances of growing hippeastrums indoors.

Botanical description of the plant

Hippeastrum ( Hippeastrum), the amaryllis family. Homeland - tropical America. About 75 species are common in nature. Currently, there are a large number of varieties differing in the shape and color of flowers, all of them are combined into a species Hippeastrum garden (Hippeastrum hortorum).

Hippeastrum has a large bulb, up to 20 cm in diameter, that only goes halfway into the soil. The belt-shaped leaves of hippeastrum 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. Hippeastrum blooms in February - early March.

History of hippeastrum cultivation

In the 18th century, many students of K. Linnaeus took part in difficult and dangerous expeditions, which sometimes ended tragically. Genus Amaryllis ( Amaryllis)- predecessor of Hippeastrum ( Hippeastrum) - was established in 1737 in the work "Hemera plantarum". Botanists used to call the plants assigned to it lilies ( Lilium) and lionnarcissus ( 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.

Types of hippeastrum

Hippeastrum Leopolda(Hippeastrum leopoldii) - l The bulb is round, 5-8 cm in diameter with a short neck. The leaves are belt-shaped, 45-60 cm long. The peduncle is strong, two-flowered. The flowers are 11-14 cm long and 17-18 cm in diameter, red in the middle and white at the top. The throat of the corolla is greenish-white. Blooms in autumn. Grows on rocky mountain slopes in the Peruvian Andes.

Hippeastrum spotted(Hippeastrum pardinum) - plants up to 50 cm tall. The leaves develop after the flowers appear, belt-shaped, 40-60 cm long and up to 5 cm wide, tapering at the base to 2-2.5 cm. The peduncle is two-flowered. Flowers on pedicels 3-5 cm long, funnel-shaped; perianth 10-12 cm long; throat greenish-yellow; petals are elongated-claw-shaped, 3.5-4.5 cm wide, greenish-white, cream, with a reddish tint and with numerous small red spots; The outer petals are wider than the inner ones. Blooms in winter and spring. Found on rocky mountain slopes in the Peruvian Andes.

Hippeastrum nopargiformes(Hippeastrum psittacinum) - plants 60-90 cm tall. The bulb is large, 7-11 cm in diameter. The leaves are belt-shaped, usually 6-8 in number, 30-50 cm long and 2.5-4 cm wide, grayish-green. The peduncle is strong, with 2-4 flowers. Flowers 10-14 cm long; the tube is wide-funnel-shaped, green-red in the pharynx; petals are oblong, 2.5-3 cm wide, pointed, with red edges, with a green or yellowish-green keel, cherry-red stripes in the middle part. Blooms in spring. Grows in the forests of Southern Brazil.

Hippeastrum regal(Hippeastrum reginae) - p asthenia 30-50 cm tall. The bulb is round, 5-8 cm in diameter (the mother bulb weakly forms daughter bulbs). The leaves are linear-lanceolate, 60 cm long and 3.5-4 cm wide in the middle, tapering to 1.5 cm at the base (appearing after the flowers). Peduncle with 2-4 flowers. Perianth 10-14 cm long; the tube is funnel-shaped, red, with a whitish-green star-shaped pattern in the throat; petals are obovate, pointed, 2.5-3 cm wide in the middle. Blooms in winter and spring. Grows in mountain forests in Mexico, the Antilles, Central America, Brazil, Peru.

Hippeastrum reticularis(Hippeastrum reticulatum) - plants 30-50 cm tall. The bulb is small, with a short neck. The leaves are lanceolate, usually 4-6 in number, 30 cm long and 5 cm wide, tapering towards the base, thin, green. The peduncle bears 3-5 flowers. Perianth 8-11 cm long; petals are obovate, claw-shaped, 2.5 cm wide in the middle, mallow-red, with numerous dark veins. Blooms in autumn, until December. Grows in the forests of Southern Brazil.

Hippeastrum reticularis(Hippeastrum reticulatum var. striatifolium) - differs from Hippeastrum reticulatum in leaves with a clearly defined white longitudinal stripe in the middle, large, pink-red fragrant flowers.

Hippeastrum reddish(Hippeastrum striatum / striata / rutilum) - plants 30-60 cm tall. The bulb is round, 5-9 cm in diameter, with a short neck and pale outer scales. Leaves are 30-40 cm long and 4-5 cm wide, light green. The peduncle is grayish-green, 30 cm long, flattened, with 2-6 flowers. Perianth 7-12 cm long; petals 2-2.5 cm wide in the middle, pointed; inner petals tapering at the bottom, with a green keel up to half the petal. Blooms in winter and spring. Found in forests in moist, shady places in Southern Brazil.

Hippeastrum reddish variety pointed(Hippeastrum striatum var. acuminatum) - leaves are belt-lanceolate, 30-60 cm long and 3.5-5 cm wide, covered with a whitish coating on top, dark red at the base. The peduncle is 50-90 cm long, round, with 4-6 flowers (sometimes 2 peduncles develop). The flowers are larger than those of Hippeastrum striatum, yellowish-red, with a yellowish-green star-shaped pattern at the base.

Hippeastrum reddish, lemon variety(Hippeastrum striatum var citrinum) - the flowers are lemon yellow.

Hippeastrum reddish(Hippeastrum striatum var fulgidum) - the bulbs are large, 7-11 cm in diameter (forms daughter bulbs, with which the plant is mainly propagated). The leaves are the same as those of Hippeastrum striatum, but slightly wider. Perianth 10-14 cm long; petals are ovate, 8-11 cm long, scarlet, with a green keel in the lower part; outer petals 2.5-3 cm wide; internal 1.5-2 cm wide at the bottom.

Hippeastrum graceful(Hippeastrum elegans / solandriflorum) - plants 45-70 cm tall. The bulb is ovoid, large, 7-11 cm in diameter, with a short neck. The leaves are belt-shaped, up to 45 cm long and 3-3.2 cm wide. Peduncle with 4 flowers sitting on pedicels 2.5-5 cm long. The flowers are funnel-shaped, large, 18-25 cm long, whitish-yellow or greenish-white, with a long, 9-12 cm long, cylindrical tube, green, covered with purple spots or stripes, fragrant; petals are obovate, 10-13 cm long and 2.5-4 cm wide, with red stripes. It blooms in January and also in May-June. It lives in the forests of Northern Brazil as far as Colombia and Venezuela.

Hippeastrum striped(Hippeastrum vittatum)- plants 50-100 cm tall. The bulb is round, 5-8 cm in diameter. Leaves number 6-8, belt-shaped, green, 40-70 cm long (appear after flowers). Peduncle with 2-6 flowers on pedicels 5-8 cm long. Perianth 10-17 cm long, with a funnel-shaped tube 2.5 cm long. The petals are elongated-ovate, pointed at the apex, 2.5-4 cm wide, white at the edges, with a white longitudinal stripe between the edges and the median keel, with lilac-red stripes. Blooms in summer. Grows in forests on rocky mountain slopes in the Peruvian Andes.

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Choosing a bulb, planting hippeastrum, 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 hippeastrum bulb has a red border and a dotted pattern, these are signs of a fungal disease (). 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.

At the bottom of the pot, make a drainage layer of expanded clay with a layer of 1–2 cm, pour a mound of soil, place a hippeastrum bulb on it, carefully straighten the roots and fill the middle with soil.

A planted plant cannot be watered from above - the soil may become compacted, which will lead to rotting of the roots. It is better to water through a tray.

Young plants are replanted annually in early spring with a complete replacement of the soil, and strong adult hippeastrums - once every 2-3 years, soon after flowering. This must be done very carefully, trying not to damage the leaves. Between transplants, the top layer of soil in the pot is changed annually.

Conditions and care for hippeastrum - briefly

Temperature. During the growing season, the optimal temperature is +17…+23°С. During the dormant period, the bulbs are stored at +10°C.

Lighting. Bright diffused light. Shade from direct sunlight. After flowering, full sunlight is necessary for the development and maturation of the bulbs.

Watering hippeastrum. Abundant during flowering - the soil should be moist all the time. During the dormant period, keep it dry.

Rest period. The stem is cut only when it is completely dry. Gradually reduce watering, then stop watering altogether. The rest period should last 6-8 weeks from February. Then the bulb can be removed from the pot, the “babies” are separated and the mother plant is replanted.

Hippeastrum fertilizer. Once every one to two weeks with liquid fertilizer for flowering indoor plants, diluted in the concentration recommended by the manufacturer. Feeding begins as soon as the buds open and ends when the leaves begin to fade.

Air humidity. If the plant is in a room with dry air, then you can lightly spray the buds from above. Do not spray flowers or leaves, as well as bulbs during the dormant period.

Hippeastrum transplantation. About once every 3-4 years, during the dormant period. The soil is made up of 2 parts clay-turf, 1 part leaf soil, 1 part humus, 1 part peat and 1 part sand.

Features of growing hippeastrum

Hippeastrums are heat- and light-loving, but they should be protected from direct sunlight. It is also necessary to avoid overheating the pot, since the bulb and roots of the plant are sensitive to overheating. They feel great on windows facing south, southeast or southwest.

During growth and flowering, hippeastrum tolerates room temperatures well (up to 25°C). In summer, it can be taken out into the open air; it should be protected from precipitation to avoid waterlogging of the soil. During the growing season, they need a lot of light and heat, and they are more adapted to moderate drying than to waterlogging.

For hippeastrum varieties whose leaves die off, watering is gradually reduced after flowering, then, when the leaves dry, the plant is transferred to a dry, dark room with a temperature of +10...+12°C; the bulb can be kept at a temperature of 5-9°C. It is necessary to ensure that the substrate in which the bulb is located does not dry out. The plants are carefully watered from the saucer. Dry leaves are carefully removed.

To exit the dormant period, pots with hippeastrum bulbs are placed in a warm place, preferably with a temperature of 25-30 ° C, not watered until the peduncle appears, after which they are watered moderately for several days with warm water. When flower arrows appear on the bulbs, they are exposed to the window. When the flower stalks reach 5-8 cm, the plants begin to be watered moderately with water at room temperature.

With earlier and more abundant watering, the flower arrow grows more slowly, but the leaves grow well. In some varieties of hippeastrum they appear only during flowering. As the peduncle grows, watering is gradually increased until flowers appear, however, overwatering must be avoided.

When the flower shoot reaches a length of 12-15 cm, the plants are watered with a weak light pink solution of potassium permanganate, and 5-6 days after this procedure, phosphorus fertilizers are applied. Plants usually bloom a month after the arrow appears. Some hippeastrum bulbs grow two arrows.

Watering plants should always be done carefully so that water does not get on the bulb. It is optimal to water from a tray with warm water, adding it until the entire earthen lump is wet. When watering from above, you must avoid getting water on the bulb.

Air humidity does not play a significant role in the life of plants. To remove dust, it is better to periodically wash the leaves under a warm shower or wipe with a soft sponge.

Hippeastrum roots are extremely sensitive to lack of oxygen and die off in heavy, dense soil mixtures. The soil for hippeastrum is made up of turf soil, well-rotted humus, peat and coarse sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1. It is useful to add some of the long-acting phosphorus fertilizers (superphosphate, bone meal).

The pot for the hippeastrum is selected in accordance with the size of the bulb: the distance between it and the walls of the pot should be no more than 3 cm. A layer of up to 3 cm of shards, gravel or expanded clay must be placed on the bottom for drainage. Sand is poured under the bottom of the bulb in a layer of 1 cm. When planting, the bulb is buried half its height.

Feeding hippeastrums during the growing season at the beginning (leaf formation) once every two weeks with liquid mineral fertilizer for deciduous plants, and when the formation of leaves is delayed - with fertilizer for flowering plants, which will promote the formation of flower buds. There is also this option: fertilizing begins with the appearance of leaves and is given twice a month, alternating liquid organic and mineral fertilizers (“Effect”, “Palma”, “Fertility”, etc.).

The special value of hippeastrum lies in its biologically “programmed” development. By changing the timing of planting the bulbs, they can be made to bloom at almost any time of the year. It is precisely verified how long it takes from planting a standard bulb (more than 7 cm in diameter) to flowering. With industrial culture, strictly specified regimes of temperature, air humidity, soil, etc. are maintained in greenhouses. It is impossible to create such conditions at home, but many still manage to grow hippeastrum. To do this, you need to know their structure, biology and agricultural technology well.

When purchasing, you must choose a high-quality hippeastrum bulb: undamaged, at least 7 cm in diameter and, of course, without signs of “red burn” damage. If the choice is made, do not rush to plant the bulb right away. First, place it in a bright place, bottom up, and dry it for 6-8 days, then plant it in clean sand to stimulate the development of roots, which appear by the end of winter, then the bulb is replanted.

Adult hippeastrums do not need to be replanted annually. This can be done once every 2-3 years, but then after the next dormant period it is necessary to replace the top layer of soil with a fresh nutrient mixture consisting of equal parts of turf, leaf, humus soil and sand.

Feeding hippeastrum

Fertilizing is a necessary component of care, since the hippeastrum plant is large, “eats” well and a lot, and the volume of soil in the pot is minimal.

But organic fertilizers will have to be eliminated immediately, as this contributes to the occurrence of fungal diseases, and bulbous plants are very susceptible to them.

The best mineral fertilizers for them will be those that are balanced in composition - say, Kemira, universal or combined. But even here it is important not to overdo it with the concentration of the solution, because the volume of soil is small and you can burn the roots. Let the portions be small - 1 g per liter of water, but frequent - once a week during the growing season.

Hippeastrum bulbs “on a diet” will not bloom or it will be a pitiful semblance of flowering. A good indicator of the correct development of the bulb is the number of leaves. There should be 7–8 of them.

If the plant was fed correctly, then in September-October the hippeastrum will lay a powerful flower shoot - or even two or three. And on each peduncle there are up to six large flowers.

Three options for growing hippeastrum indoors

The bulb is planted in a pot of soil, placed on a window and the plant is cared for throughout the year so that it does not enter a dormant period. Leaves develop continuously. With this care, hippeastrums bloom in winter, spring (April) or summer.
To ensure that the plant blooms in winter, in the fall the bulb is planted in a pot, placed in a very warm place and not watered until a sprout appears. Then the pot is transferred to the window and watered from the tray with warm water. After flowering until August - usual care (watering, fertilizing). In August, watering is reduced, and in September, the earthen ball is only slightly moistened, and dried leaves are cut off. A period of rest begins, lasting 1.5-2 months. In October, the bulb is transplanted into fresh soil.
The bulb is not replanted in the fall, but the pot with the plant is placed in a warm place and moistened only occasionally from a tray, not allowing the soil to dry out completely. When signs of new growth appear, the hippeastrum is replanted. In this case, the plant is carefully removed from the pot and the soil is shaken off. If the lump is tightly braided with roots, then it is carefully squeezed from the sides with your palms, washed with warm water and left to dry for the whole day. After drying the roots, remove dead and damaged ones. The sections are sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

Reproduction of hippeastrum

Propagation by seeds is used mainly in breeding work. Seeds are sown immediately after collection.

More often, hippeastrums are propagated vegetatively: by children, by scales and by dividing large bulbs. The number of children produced in hippeastrum is small and depends on the species, variety, and growing conditions. Babies can appear at any time of the year. At the next transplant, the children are separated - carefully broken off or cut off. The sections must be sprinkled with charcoal powder.

Very few children form large-flowered Dutch varieties of hippeastrum, so they are also propagated by scales. The bulb is thoroughly washed, the leaves are cut to the root collar, the roots are greatly shortened (up to 2 cm). Then it is cut into 8-16 parts with a knife, which is first disinfected with alcohol. Each of the resulting parts must have a part of the bottom. They are powdered with a root formation stimulator (root).

After this, the bulb segments are planted in containers with thoroughly washed coarse sand or moss (sphagnum) so that their tops remain on the surface. Rooting should occur at a temperature of at least 20 °C.

When dividing a large hippeastrum bulb, it is planted high - so that the bottom is on the surface of the substrate. The upper part (leaves and root collar) is cut off, freed from integumentary scales and two deep vertical cuts intersecting in the center are made. In this way, four equal shares are obtained, each of which has roots. To make the wounds dry quickly, wooden sticks are inserted into the incisions (crosswise).

The bulb prepared in this way is placed in a bright place and watered from a tray. After some time, babies form at the base of each lobe. It is best to propagate hippeastrums using the last two methods in November, when the scales contain the maximum supply of nutrients.

Pests and diseases of hippeastrum

If after planting the bulbs hippeastrum does not grow, although the conditions are good - take out the bulb and check its condition, it should be healthy and firm to the touch. If the bulb does not begin to grow within 1.5 months after planting, then it is clearly not viable.

In the second year no shoot grows from the bulb- this happens if there was a lack of nutrition during the first year. Always continue to feed the plant until the old leaves have completely withered.

Hippeastrum leaves turn pale green, flowers droop- the plant may not have been watered for a long time. During flowering, watering is somewhat more abundant so that the soil is moist all the time.

The plant grows well at first, then hippeastrum growth suddenly slows down- the bulb may be damaged by pests. Check the soil for larvae and treat the soil with an insecticide.

Flowers darken or turn black if it is too cold and (or) damp. Cut off damaged flowers and move the plant to a warmer place.

Hippeastrum flowers become pale- if there is too much sun. Shade the hippeastrum from direct sunlight.

Hippeastrum leaves become very pale and limp- if it's too damp. Make large drainage holes and drainage in the pot. Allow the soil to dry almost completely before watering again.

Hippeastrum does not bloom- if a rest period was not provided, if the plant was not fed in the previous year, if the place chosen for it is not bright enough, if it is too cold.

All about the indoor flower hippeastrum. Hippeastrum (45 photos): planting, growing, care. Reproduction by daughter bulbs

Hippeastrum care

General information about Hippeastrum

Latin – Hippeastrum.

Story

Hippeastrum flower - features

Home phytodesign of the highest class

Exhaustion

Hippeastrum care at home

Bulb selection, planting, transplanting

Care during the rest period

Alternate flowering with rest

Rest period

Summer flower maintenance

Hippeastrum after flowering.

Dishes.

Earth mixture:

Lighting.

Air temperature.

Watering and fertilizing

Proper watering

Water procedures

Feeding and fertilizers for hippeastrum

Transfer

Transfer.

Bloom

Which breeding method should I choose?

propagation by seeds

Children

By dividing the bulb

How else to increase the number of plants

Other methods

Reproduction

Growing difficulties

Diseases and pests

Pests.

Diseases.

Problems during cultivation: how to eliminate them?

Red rot

Downy mildew

Red fungal burn

Doesn't bloom

If it doesn’t bloom, then why?

Hippeastrum or amaryllis?

Hippeastrum: flowering

Hippeastrum: care after flowering

Hippeastrum: preparation for new flowering, forcing bulbs, timing

Hippeastrum: planting and transplanting bulbs, propagation

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Bloom

Transfer

Useful video

Diseases and pests

Benefits and harms

Botanical description of the plant

History of hippeastrum cultivation

Types of hippeastrum

Choosing a bulb, planting hippeastrum, transplanting

Conditions and care for hippeastrum - briefly

Features of growing hippeastrum

Feeding hippeastrum

Three options for growing hippeastrum indoors

Reproduction of hippeastrum

Pests and diseases of hippeastrum

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