Hippeastrum does not give the shooter. Hippeastrum - description of the flower

Among indoor flowers, hippeastrum is particularly attractive, as it is at the same time a rather complex plant in terms of planting and care. For this reason, not all gardeners manage to achieve its flowering. Below we will tell you everything about growing it and overcoming possible problems.

Hippeastrum - description of the flower

Hippeastrum flowers belong to perennial plant, emerging from the bulb. When it blooms and grows, large linear leaves are formed, which can stretch up to 70 cm and have a width of 4-5 cm. They are arranged in two rows, opposite each other.

Did you know? Although most hippeastrums have leaves with a familiar green color, a number of varieties have purple leaves, which makes the plant especially attractive even without flowering.

With proper care, an inflorescence with 2-6 flowers appears on the hippeastrum. The flowers are large, can reach 15 cm in length, and their width is often 25 cm.

Their color can be very different: from white to dark red. After flowering, a fruit is formed in the form of a box, in which the hippeastrum seeds ripen.

When fully ripe, they can be used for planting and obtaining bulbs; fortunately, they have 100% germination rate.

However, this plant is quite difficult to grow at home, as it differs in a number of features:

It is almost impossible to obtain seeds suitable for future sowings from light and white varieties of hippeastrum, since they are hybrids.
For full growth of the plant in the summer, it is good to plant it in the garden, digging it together with the pot into the soil.
Despite the fact that it is quite difficult to achieve hippeastrum flowering at home, you should be prepared for the fact that all efforts will be made for only 10 days of flowering.

Choosing a pot for hippeastrum

The size of the pot will directly depend on the size of the hippeastrum bulb. Please note: when planting, the bulb should be placed in the middle of the pot, leaving 5 cm to each edge. Thus, the pot for this flower must be at least 15 cm in diameter.

As for the height of the pot, on the contrary, it should not be too high, because the bulb does not need to be completely immersed in the soil ( its upper part remains half above the ground). In addition, at the bottom of the pot it will be necessary to lay out drainage from stones, and above it there is still a fairly large layer of soil.

There are no clear restrictions regarding the material of the container for hippeastrum, but it is still better to use ordinary plastic pots for this plant.

This is due to the fact that ceramics can heat up intensely in the sun, often causing overheating of the flower bulb. In this case, his death will be inevitable.

Choosing soil for hippeastrum

Hippeastrum flowers are quite demanding on the composition of the soil in the pot, so it must be prepared especially carefully.

The most important requirement – lightness of the soil, which could quickly pass moisture through itself and provide good air supply to the bulb.

It is also important that there is a lot of soil in the soil. organic fertilizers, and its acidity level did not exceed 6 pH.

It is quite difficult to obtain such a soil mixture by mixing it yourself, so it is better to go to a specialized store and purchase ready-made soil for bulbous indoor flowers. True and purchased soil It wouldn't hurt to add a little sand.

If you still decide to prepare a soil mixture for hippeastrum yourself, then use the following components for it (the ratio is indicated in numbers):

clay-turf soil (2);
leaf soil(1);
humus (1);
peat (1);
sand (1).

Which hippeastrum bulbs are best to choose?

Most often, hippeastrum is propagated by bulbs, which can be purchased at a regular flower shop. However, when choosing bulbs, you must remain as careful as possible, since spoiled planting material will only bring you trouble.

It is worth going for them in spring or autumn, since this is the ideal time for forcing a flower.

The most important key to getting a large and healthy flower is This is the use of large bulbs that store a sufficient supply of nutrients. Thanks to this, not only will a large plant grow from the bulb, but it will also be guaranteed to bloom.

But besides large sizes the bulb should also have a strong neck and bottom. It’s great if its upper scales are dry and brown. If there are seals, red or dark spots, or rot on the bulb, it has already deteriorated and is not worth buying.

But often bulbs are sold not just in bags without soil, but also in pots. In such cases, when purchasing a flower, it is necessary to inspect the roots of the bulb, which should be visible through the hole in the bottom of the pot.

A healthy bulb will be indicated by:

roots are white;
the body of the bulb is hard and strong to the touch;
dry, brown scales;
absence of wet or discolored areas.

Important! If the store offers significant discounts on hippeastrum bulbs, be sure to ask the sellers what they are connected with. Very often this is done to sell rotten planting material, although prices may also be reduced due to the end of the planting season.

Where to place the hippeastrum?

Hippeastrums love moderate temperatures, which during their growing season should not exceed +23 ˚С, but should not fall below +17 ˚С.

However, if we are talking about the plant’s dormant period, then it is better to remove the bulb from the room and take it to the basement, where the temperature is at +10 ˚С.

Since hippeastrums love a lot of sun, their place is only near a window, into which light falls almost throughout the day. But the sun's rays should not shine directly on the flower; it is better to curtain the window with tulle thick fabric so that the leaves and flowers of the hippeastrum do not get burned.

In this case, the flower pot should be constantly rotated, otherwise it may stretch to one side.

Hippeastrum needs good lighting even after flowering, since without it the bulb and seeds in the box will not be able to fully ripen for the next planting.

Air humidity is also important for the flower, and if it is low, it will need spraying (just make sure that drops of water do not fall on the flowers).

Planting and propagation of hippeastrum

Hippeastrum suggests the possibility of planting the most different ways, among which you can use both seeds and plant parts at home. You can try each of them.

Seed method

Planting hippeastrum in a pot by seed involves the full maturation of the box formed after flowering.

It is very important that during this period the plant receives enough nutrients, moisture and sunlight, since otherwise the seeds may not ripen.

When the box with them is completely dry, it is simply torn off, after which the seeds can be immediately used for sowing.

Please note that when seed propagation hippeastrum, in the first year of sowing, the bulb in the ground is just beginning to form, which means that only the next year it will be able to produce an arrow with leaves. It may take another 1-2 years before full flowering occurs.

However, despite the need for a long wait for flowering, it is thanks to the seed method that it is possible to obtain varietal hippeastrums with a clear manifestation of all characteristics.

Vegetative methods

Vegetative methods of propagating hippeastrums involve either the use of daughter bulbs that are formed near the main one (they can be separated only after the diameter reaches at least 2 cm), or by dividing the bulbs into two parts.

Both of these options are used only when transplanting a flower, when the bulb is dug out of the soil.

When planting hippeastrums with the help of daughter bulbs, flowering also does not occur in the first year. They need 2-3 years to ripen and gain strength for flowering.

Landing technology

When planting a bulb in pre-prepared soil, it is important to consider the following nuances:

Important! If during planting or transplanting the bulb there are scales on it that can be easily removed with your fingers, it is better to remove them immediately, since they are already dead and will rot if they come into contact with moisture.

Growing hippeastrum in a pot

When growing hippeastrums at home, the flowers need to be given a lot of attention and care. Although in general it consists of providing a good place to grow, watering and fertilizing, this plant still has its own requirements for all these aspects.

Watering hippeastrum

Hippeastrum is quite whimsical in watering, since it cannot be over-filled with water, nor allowed to suffer a lack of moisture. Also, during each growing season of a flower, it requires special water balance:

Please note that water should not fall on the bulb - it should only be poured into the soil.

Fertilizer and feeding

Fertilizer for hippeastrum must be selected taking into account the stage of flower development. In addition, it is important to alternate mineral and organic fertilizers.

First, it is better to buy special fertilizers intended for bulbous indoor plants. Feeding the hippeastrum proceeds according to the following scheme:

Hippeastrums respond best to fertilizing with potassium fertilizers. In general, soil fertilization should be done every two weeks, but nutrients should not be applied to dry soil.

In addition, if you have just transplanted or planted hippeastrum, the first feeding must be done no earlier than after 1 month.

How to make hippeastrum bloom?

It often happens that a bulb produces arrows with leaves for several years in a row, but a peduncle does not appear on it. The first reason may be that the bulb is too small, which simply does not have enough strength to flower, although the reasons may also be hidden in care:

At the end of winter, lilies bloom on the windowsills of many apartments. This is the colloquial name for hippeastrum of the amaryllis family. Large flowers of different shades, collected in inflorescences, delight the eye on the eve of spring and give good mood. This article contains useful tips for caring for indoor hippeastrum at home.

In nature, the “cavalier star”, as hippeastrum is translated, grows in the tropical part of the American continent. It is found on mountain slopes and plateaus of Venezuela, Mexico, and Brazil. In the eighteenth century, sailors and traders began to bring exotic plants to Europe from their trips overseas and care for them. Botanists began researching and describing unknown plants. At the same time, the construction of greenhouses began, which appeared in botanical gardens and private properties.

Hippeastrum in natural conditions

At this time, botanists discovered and described several species of lilies, which were called amaryllis. At the beginning of the 19th century, a new genus was identified - hippeastrum. It also includes some types of amaryllis. This led to many hippeastrum being called amaryllis. This misconception still persists among amateur gardeners.

And only in 1954, at a congress of botanists around the world, it was confirmed that there is only one species belonging to the amaryllis family, called Amaryllis beautiful. At the same time, there are about eighty species of hippeastrum belonging to the same family.

Appearance

Hybrid hippeastrum, grown at home, has long, wide leaves, reaching seven centimeters in width and more than half a meter in length. The plant's bulb is large, up to ten centimeters in diameter. The peduncle often exceeds one meter. There are large flowers on it, the diameter of which reaches twenty centimeters. The number of flowers on a peduncle can vary from two to ten. Hippeastrum flowers come in a variety of colors and shades - from dark red to white. Colors with dots, spots of a different color, with a transition of shades from the funnel to the edge of the flower are common.

Differences between Hippeastrum and Amaryllis

People often confuse amaryllis and hippeastrum, because the plants look very similar and belong to the same family. But they have significant differences, which are shown in the table.

	Amaryllis	Hippeastrum
Motherland	South Africa	Tropics of America
Bulb shape	Pear-shaped, with gray scales	Round or elongated, with brown-yellow scales
Number of flowers in inflorescence	From 6 to 12	From 2 to 6, less often up to 9-10
Flowering time	Autumn	End of winter - beginning of spring
Peduncle	Without cavity	Hollow inside
Leaves	Narrow, grooved, smooth	Depending on the type, they can be smooth or rough, elongated

Hippeastrum became widespread as indoor plant thanks to its unpretentiousness. It is enough to follow simple rules of care during the dormant and flowering periods, and it will delight you with its flowers. Big advantage hippeastrum is the possibility of forcing, which allows you to achieve flowering by a certain date.

Varieties of indoor Hippeastrum

The abundance of “cavalier star” species required their classification. IN different countries highlight their own color groups. Basically, varieties of hippeastrum are divided into simple and double, orchid-like, with long-tubular flowers and miniature hybrids.

Let's look at the most popular indoor varieties.

Lady Jane

Variety Lady Jane has large double flowers of a peach hue with pink veins in the center of the petals. The diameter of the flowers reaches twenty centimeters.

Hippeastrum Leopolda

Hippeastrum Leopolda often found in home collections. Pink petals end with a white border. Inside a flower White color gradually acquires pale green shade.

Hippeastrum spotted

Hippeastrum spotted- a low plant that throws out leaves after flowers appear. The petals are cream-colored and decorated with red dots, and the throat is yellowish-green.

Royal (Regina)

In the variety Royal (Regina) a flower of a rich red hue appears on a peduncle about half a meter high. Leaves appear after flowering. The number of colors ranges from two to four.

Narrow-leaved

Variety Narrow-leaved characterized by narrow, slightly curved petals orange color. The number of buds on one peduncle can reach nine.

parrot

Rare species include Hippeastrum Parrot-like. Its wide petals of a light green hue are decorated with longitudinal cherry-colored stripes. The peduncle, 90 cm high, is crowned with two to four buds.

Reticulate

Hippeastrum reticularis refers to low-growing varieties. Its peduncle does not grow higher than half a meter, and up to five buds of bright pink color with darker veins appear on it, forming a mesh pattern on the petals.

Landing

Pay attention to the red dots

Before planting the bulb, you need to pay attention to its condition. A healthy bulb should not have a red border and/or red dots, which indicate the presence of a fungal disease. If the bulb is purchased, then it should have dry brownish scales with living roots. If there are dents or grooves on it, then it is better to refuse such a purchase.

The pot for planting is selected so that there is a finger gap between the bulb and the wall, but no more than three centimeters. It is necessary to take into account that the plant grows tall, so the pot must be stable and deep enough.

How to plant hippeastrum? Drainage up to two centimeters thick is poured onto the bottom. For drainage, you can use expanded clay, small pieces of shards, and bricks. Then follows a layer of soil, which is poured into a mound. You can add a handful of sand under the roots of the bulb. Having placed the bulb on a mound, straighten the roots and carefully sprinkle with soil. The ground level should not be higher than the middle of the bulb.

Important! Watering after planting is carried out in a tray or along the edge of the pot, avoiding water getting on the bulb.

Hippeastrum is not picky about soil. To ensure lush flowering, it is recommended to prepare the soil yourself from the following components, which are taken in a 2:1:1:1 ratio:

turf land;
humus;
peat;
river sand.

Do not add to the mixture a large number of wood ash and bone meal. If there is no flour, add superphosphate at the rate of two teaspoons per liter of soil. Phosphorus is necessary for the plant to bloom lushly. You can buy a ready-made earthen mixture for bulbous plants.

Important! If after landing new bulb after a month and a half the leaves do not appear, then it is not viable.

Transfer

Hippeastrum is transplanted annually for young plants, then every other year. And old plants are replanted once every two to three years. But if the plant is not replanted, then it must be replaced annually upper layer land.

When to replant hippeastrum? Traditionally, transplantation is carried out in the spring, after flowering has ended. But you can also replant in the fall, before the start of the dormant period. In the fall, plants that were planted (taken out) into the garden for the summer are replanted.

Before planting in a new pot, the bulb must be carefully examined for wounds and rot. It is better to throw away diseased bulbs. The onion is placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. Long roots are trimmed, the cut points and wounds are sprinkled with crushed activated carbon. The planting process and selection of land is described above.

Watering and fertilizing

Proper watering for hippeastrum is of great importance and depends on the period of plant development.

In September, before the start of the dormant period, watering is reduced. By the end of September, watering can be stopped completely if the flower is in a cool place. If you had to leave it in warm room, then you can lightly moisten the soil. During this period, the plant lives off the nutrients accumulated in the bulb.

After the end of the dormant period and the appearance of a peduncle, the plant is transferred to a warm, bright place. As the peduncle grows, watering is increased. From the beginning of flowering until the onset of the dormant period, the flower needs regular watering, avoiding water getting on the bulb. It is better to pour water into the pan.

Hippeastrum is fertilized with mineral fertilizers. It is advisable to use two types of fertilizers. In the spring, at the beginning of the growing season, fertilizing is applied to deciduous plants. Fertilizer for flowering plants is applied from the moment the buds appear until the end of flowering. The second stage of fertilizing for flowering plants begins from the end of leaf growth until the onset of the dormant period. The frequency of fertilizer application is from two to four times a month.

The plant does not require spraying. You can periodically wipe the leaves from dust with a damp sponge.

Where to put the pot

Hippeastrum loves sunlight

The plant loves sunlight, so it does well on windows facing south, southeast and southwest. In summer, on the south side it must be shaded from scorching rays. After flowering, leaves grow, nutrients accumulate in the bulb, and scales form.

The plant develops well at temperatures from 17 to 23 degrees Celsius, but higher temperatures do not harm it. During the dormant period, it is recommended to keep the flower in a cool, shaded place with a temperature of 10-15 degrees. If it is not possible to place the flower in a cool place, then you can leave it in the room, providing rare and weak soil moisture.

Rest period

Hippeastrum has a dormant period at the end of September - beginning of October. Most species have leaves that die and must then be removed. Some gardeners create an artificial dormant period for the flower, the duration of which should be one and a half to two months. Thus, you can achieve flowering by a certain date or two or three times a year.

It is possible to breed hippeastrum without a pronounced dormant period. He is kept on regular sunny place with watering as the soil dries. With this regime, the plant can delight you with flowering in spring or autumn.

Hippeastrum flowering

With proper care and a dormant period, hippeastrum blooms in late winter - early spring. In mature plants, flowering is possible one more time - in summer. The number of peduncles depends on the care in the summer and the number of leaves formed. The plant has a peculiarity: flower stalks are formed through four leaves. Therefore, the more leaves grow before the dormant period, the more flower stalks will appear on your plant. It is desirable that the number of leaves be at least seven or eight.

Hippeastrum blooms in late winter or early spring

If the bulb was purchased in winter and you want to quickly admire the flowering, it is recommended to keep it in the warm water(forty degrees) a couple of hours. After planting, carefully water the soil and place in a warm, bright place. The next watering is carried out after the peduncle has grown ten centimeters.

After flowering ends, the peduncle must be trimmed, the plant is regularly watered and fed.

Why doesn't Hippeastrum bloom?

If the hippeastrum does not bloom, this means that the conditions of detention were violated:

in spring and summer the plant did not receive the necessary minerals;
lack of light during the growing season;
the plant was at a low temperature.

Reproduction of Hippeastrum

Hippeastrum can be propagated in several ways.

Children's department

The easiest way is to separate the children. When transplanting, carefully separate the bulbs, the diameter of which should be at least two centimeters. The bulbs with roots are immersed in the ground two centimeters. The new plant will begin to bloom in three to four years.

Bulb division

Unfortunately, not all types of hippeastrum produce babies. In addition, if the maintenance regime is violated, baby bulbs may not appear. Therefore, if it is necessary to propagate a flower, the method of dividing the bulbs is used.

The leaves of the bulb are trimmed, the roots are trimmed to two centimeters. The bulb is cut into 2-4 parts so that the bottom with roots remains on each part, otherwise it will not take root. The cutting areas are sprinkled with activated carbon and left to dry for two to three days. When planting, only the lower part is deepened into the soil. The planting mixture is prepared from peat and sand in equal proportions. You can cut the onion into four parts, but not all the way. To dry the incisions, sticks are inserted into them. The cut onion is planted, covering only the lower uncut part with soil. It is recommended to water the separated bulbs from a tray. After some time, each slice gives birth to a baby. Propagation by dividing the bulb is recommended to be carried out in late autumn, while the bulb has a maximum supply of nutrients. The process of dividing the bulb is clearly shown in the video.

Reproduction by scales

The third method of division is called scale reproduction. With this method, the onion is cut into pieces (8-16) so that part of the bottom remains on each piece. The knife is disinfected with alcohol before cutting the onion. The cut slices are sprinkled with Kornevin and planted in sand or sphagnum moss. In this case, the tops should be outside. Containers for germination are placed in a warm place (at least 20 degrees).

Onion slices are planted in sand or sphagnum

Propagation by seeds

You can get new plants from seeds. To do this, you need to pollinate the flower and wait for the seeds to ripen. This will take up to two months. Seeds must be sown immediately after collection into the ground to a depth of one centimeter. After two to three weeks, sprouts appear. Containers with plants are placed in a bright place, shaded from the sun. This method of propagation is used by breeders to develop new varieties, because the bulb loses many useful substances.

Video: Hippeastrum from seeds at home.

Diseases and pests

Hippeastrum is a disease-resistant plant. Most often he suffers from a “red burn”. Under this name lies an insidious fungal disease stagonosporosis. Its signs can appear both on the leaves and on the bulb. Oblong red spots appear on the leaves. Red spots can also be found on the bulbs. The bulb becomes covered with wounds, softens and the plant may die. One of the signs of the disease is a stop in the growth and addition of leaves.

Red burn on leaves

Red burn on the bulb

When buying a bulb, you need to carefully examine it so that there are no red spots. The husk should be shiny and brownish in color. The head itself is solid, without any dents. If signs of disease appear at home, it is necessary to remove the bulb and inspect it. If there are small spots, they are cut out, and the wounds are treated with brilliant green or copper oxychloride. After drying for a week, the bulb is planted in fresh soil, pre-treated with a fungicide. The bulb is planted so that the bottom and roots are covered with soil. If the bulb is severely damaged and softened, it must be destroyed.

To prevent damage by Fusarium, the bulb is soaked for a couple of hours in a solution of potassium permanganate before planting. The disease manifests itself as yellowing of the leaves and drying out of the plant. The bulb is treated with brilliant green, and the soil is watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Among the pests, hippeastrum can be affected by spider mites, thrips and narcissus flies. The appearance of thrips is indicated by white spots and stripes on outside leaves. The insects themselves can be found on the underside of the leaves. It is necessary to carry out two or three treatments with Actellik, Fitoverm or a similar drug with an interval of five days.

The daffodil fly lays eggs in the neck of a flower. The larvae penetrate deep into the bulb and damage it. The plant stops growing and blooming. It is recommended to check the bulb and treat it with Aktara. If the damage is severe, you have to get rid of the diseased plant.

Problems during cultivation

With insufficient watering, the leaves turn pale and the flowers droop their heads. During flowering, it is necessary to keep the soil slightly moist.
At low temperatures, the flowers begin to turn black. It is necessary to move the plant to a warm place.
If the leaves turn pale and wither, this indicates excess moisture in the pot. It is necessary to reduce watering, after drying the soil.
If the flowers become faded, then you need to shade them from sun rays.
Hippeastrum leaves turn yellow and dry out on the eve of the dormant period. If this happens at another time, then pay attention to the violation in care (damp or cold). Check the plant for pests that can cause yellowing of the leaves.

With proper care and compliance with the watering and fertilizing regime, hippeastrum will delight you with its flowering every year.

Plant hippeastrum (lat. Hippeastrum) belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. There are about 90 species of hippeastrum. The name of the flower consists of two roots of the ancient Greek language, meaning “horseman” and “star” in translation. Hippeastrum is often confused with amaryllis, but you should know that beautiful amaryllis (the only representative of the genus) grows naturally in southern Africa, and hippeastrum grows in the tropics and subtropics of America, in particular in the Amazon basin. Amaryllis and hippeastrum are relatives belonging to the same botanical family, but representing different genera. Hippeastrum was brought to Europe in the 16th century, and in 1799 the first plant hybrid, Johnson's hippeastrum, appeared.

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Planting and caring for hippeastrum (in brief)

Bloom: Aug. Sept.
Lighting: bright diffused light (southern, southwest or southeast windows).
Temperature: 17-25˚C.
Watering: at the beginning of the growing season - scanty, with the appearance of a peduncle before flowering - abundant, but not excessive. It is recommended to use the bottom watering method.
Air humidity: usual for residential premises.
Feeding: from the beginning of the growing season - once every two weeks with liquid mineral fertilizers for deciduous plants, and from the moment the peduncle appears - in the same mode, but with solutions mineral fertilizers for flowering plants.
Rest period: from October to January.
Transfer: once every 3-4 years after flowering or before the start of the growing season.
Reproduction: seeds, children and dividing the bulb.
Pests: scale insects, aphids, spider mites, mealybugs.
Diseases: peronosporosis, burn fungus, red rot.

Read more about growing hippeastrum below.

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, things to consider 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.

In the photo: Hippeastrum flowering

Caring for hippeastrum at home

How to care for hippeastrum

The hippeastrum should be kept in a well-lit place, preferably on a south, south-east or south-west windowsill, covering the flower from direct sunlight and turning it around its axis from time to time so that it maintains its compact shape. The temperature during the period of active growth is preferably from 17 ºC to 25 ºC. As already mentioned, in the summer the hippeastrum feels great in the fresh air, but you will have to arrange it outdoors in such a way that it does not suffer from waterlogging.

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.

In the photo: Growing hippeastrum at home

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.

Hippeastrum transplantation

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 of perlite (or coarse sand), leaf and turf land and one part of 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.

Reproduction of hippeastrum

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.

Much easier to reproduce vegetative way, namely, by separating the hippeastrum children 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.

In the photo: How hippeastrum blooms in an apartment

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 to fertilize the usual scheme. in spring next year Divide the bulb and plant the parts in individual flowerpots.

The rest period of the hippeastrum

The resting period of hippeastrum is from September to January. If your plant has spent 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.

Hippeastrum flowering

How to make hippeastrum bloom

Firstly, Bulbs can be treated before planting hot water 43-45 ºC for three hours. After such extreme temperatures, the plant blooms in three weeks.
Second way effects: stop watering the plant in August, move it to a dry, dark place and keep it there until the end of January, after which resume watering. In a month and a half you will be able to enjoy the flowering of hippeastrum.
And the third way beliefs: cut off all the leaves of the hippeastrum in July and do not water it for a month, and with the first watering, introduce 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.

In the photo: Handsome white hippeastrum

Hippeastrum does not bloom - why?

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 for flowering.

Hippeastrum does not bloom even when the soil is waterlogged and the bulb begins to rot.

In the photo: How hippeastrum blooms

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.

We have collected for you the most full meeting 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 perennial flower, which 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 . A mix is a mixture different seeds hippeastrum.

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

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 that not everyone can match in terms of expressiveness and attractiveness. indoor flower can compare. 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, one 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 what you need peace of mind, contributes to making the right decisions. It is this property that imposes next condition growing: during flowering the pet is exhausted, it needs regular rest, it is impossible to stimulate the release of buds all year round.

Hippeastrum is a beautiful domestic creature, which is distinguished by its large, attractive, bright colors. It is not so whimsical in cultivation, although it requires compliance with certain 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 root system, lush leaves, will have children, but will 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 warm water as the soil dries, it is better to put it 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.

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, 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

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. Normal in summer room temperature+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 only use settled water for the procedure, not cold water. 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 wild flowering plants, 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.

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 humidity air, so he does not need air spraying, he prefers dry keeping.

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 plants grow especially intensively. long leaves, 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 lost forever.

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 small pot 2/3 into 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 larger diameter bulbs by 6-7 centimeters. 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.

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 already in August, transferring it to 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 different 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

Most easy way reproduction of this flower is reproduction 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 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

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.

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. From powdery mildew are saved with special drugs available on the market.

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 accordance with 20:1 and dry the bulb 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 mite, mealybug, scale insect, onion mite. 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 look, if not followed the necessary conditions. 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 by various reasons: excessive watering or lack of water, 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.