Information about the hemanthus flower first appeared in 1753. His description was made by an outstanding Swedish scientist, naturalist Carl Linnaeus. Why did the hemanthus flower get this name? It turns out that the Greek words "haemo" and "anthos" translate as "bloody flower."
In nature, there are different colors of hemanthus, but the main one is the typical red color. In 1984, he was singled out as a separate genus of the Amaryllis family.
Hemanthus species
Currently, 22 types of hemanthus are known. Their homeland is tropical Africa and Namibia. This bulbous plant is similar in appearance to amaryllis.
Hemanthus Katarina
Hemanthus flowers have a specific smell. In home breeding, its most common types are:
- White-flowered - the most common among indoor flowers. It has broad, lapid leaves resembling a deer tongue. Has short but powerful peduncles with white flowers. The leaves are dark green.
White-flowered
- Linden - most often found in garden areas. The flower grows in the ground, has long stalks with leaves arranged in two rows. A half-meter peduncle distinguishes Linden from other varieties of hemanthus.
- Multiflowered - distinguished by the presence of a long peduncle and large-sized leaves. During the season, the number of inflorescences reaches from 50 to 90.
Multi-flowered
- Katarina - has long thin sheets located on a false stem. In stock red color of inflorescences. Flowering in late summer for four weeks. After flowering, bright red berry-like fruits are tied. Florists speak of Hemanthus Katarina as the most popular among home-growing floriculture among a similar type of flower.
- Pure white - very similar to white-flowered hemanthus. The difference is the edge on the peduncle and the back of the leaves.
- Sharlahovy - has one and a half meter leaves with red colored ends. Peduncle spotted. Flowering time is autumn.
Scarlet
- Pomegranate - is a type of hemanthus with beautiful inflorescences up to 10 cm long. The leaves have a leathery appearance with a characteristic bright red color and wavy edges. It blooms actively from July to January.
- Brindle Haemanthus tigrinus is a spectacular large-leaved plant. The length of its leaves reaches 45 cm, they are green. On the bases of the leaves are brown spots.
Attention! All varieties of hemanthus are poisonous. Cutting leaves, if damaged, should be done with gloves. After working with flowers, you need to wash your hands thoroughly.
Hemanthus Care
Hemanthus is rarely found in home breeding. Proper care of hemanthus at home will allow you to get the expected flowering and flower development.
Soil and pot selection
In flower shops, hemanthus, like all flowers, is sold in a portable pot. After home acclimatization, it is transplanted into a stationary pot. The pot is selected high, since the bulb has long roots that need to be carefully laid out in the pot when transplanting.
The distance from it to the side walls of the pot should not exceed 3 cm. The bulb should not be deepened into the soil. You can transplant a plant twice a year, if it gives a small increase, annually and every 2-3 years. This is at the discretion of gardeners.
Attention! If it is important for florists to see the flowering of the hemanthus, the pot should be close, but if the goal is to get daughter bulbs, the pot should be wider.
Beginners should pay attention to the soil. The bottom of the pot should be covered with drainage so that the water does not stagnate and the roots do not rot. Soil is on sale in a flower shop. Hemanthus needs light soil. This is a universal substrate or special soil for ornamental plants with the addition of charcoal, coconut soil and humus.
Hemanthus root system
Watering and feeding
Bulb plants do not like stagnation of water in the soil. Hemanthus reacts poorly to excess moisture. Home care for him is moderate watering. Experienced flower growers note that this indoor flower tolerates drought more easily.
The soil is fertilized in spring and summer with a frequency of once every three weeks. A weak solution of mineral fertilizer is poured into a tray, where a flower pot is placed for 20 minutes. By osmosis, the plant will receive all the nutrition it needs.
Temperature and lighting
The plant loves bright, but not direct light. The flower feels best on the windowsills of windows facing east and west. The flower pot needs to be rotated, giving the opportunity for uniform development of leaves.
Hemanthus fertilizer
Being a thermophilic plant, hemanthus does not like temperature fluctuations, especially to the colder side. If it is purchased at a store in the winter, a warm home delivery should be arranged. The optimum temperature at which a flower grows and blooms is from + 18 ° to + 22 ° C.
During winter dormancy, which lasts from December to April, the hemanthus is kept in a cool place. It is desirable that the temperature was not higher than + 15 ° C. For this, a warm balcony or loggia in the apartment or a porch in the house is suitable. Hemanthus does not like stagnation of air, any room needs to be ventilated.
Growing problems
Hemanthus - unpretentious plant. It blooms annually with proper cultivation. However, flower growers encounter some problems when the buds begin to blacken, the leaves dry, and flowering stops. What is the reason for this?
Hemanthus flowers
Slow development
It is necessary to pay attention to the soil in a pot with a plant. Perhaps she needs fertilizer. Pests and disease can interfere with plant development. You should inspect the flower and take the necessary measures to control pests or disease.
Blackened buds
The reason for the blackening of the buds should include high humidity and violation of the temperature regime. In this case, the flower pot is placed in a room where there is no humidity, you should also dry the soil and start moderate watering.
Why do hemanthus turn yellow leaves
There may be several reasons. This is an excess of moisture in the soil or its drying out. Can from the overflow begin to rot the bulb of the plant. Pests in the soil can also lead to yellowing of the leaves. What is recommended in this case by experienced flower growers who also observed similar things in their home plants?
Note! It is necessary to carry out the adjustment of irrigation without overfilling and without drying the soil in the pot. If there are pest larvae in the ground, you need to completely replace the soil.
Mistakes in flower care
As a result of a number of mistakes in caring for the plant, it can stop blooming, white dots or lightening can be found on the leaves, elongated leaves appear. Florists recommend not to forget that hemanthus blooms after a period of rest. To ensure it, you need to stop watering the flower in October. As a result, the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry.
The flower goes into a dormant state. A flower pot at this time should be placed in a dimly lit room with an air temperature of 14-16 ° C. It is permissible at this time to slightly moisten the soil. You can start watering the hemanthus already in early spring. Hemanthus will begin to bloom in late May.
Leaf affection with scabies
There may be other reasons that delay the flowering of hemanthus. For example, for a flower, a too spacious pot is chosen, the ground in which the plant should master, and only then begin to bloom. The bulb may be too deeply planted, or the flower is poorly lit. In this case, you need to eliminate these causes.
If the leaves of the flower lighten and begin to stretch, this means that it is poorly lit. It needs to be moved to a brighter place. White dots can be found on the leaves. The nature of their appearance is different: the effects of spraying and getting burns from direct sunlight. It is necessary to eliminate these causes.
Pests and diseases
Florists pay attention that hemanthus is susceptible to diseases and pests. A danger to him is a scabbard and a red spider mite. They breed well in hot, unventilated rooms.
Shield
Hiding under the leaves of a plant, scale insects inflict irreparable harm on them. They sucks the juice. Methods of dealing with them include sprinkling hemanthus Karbofos, "Decis" and "Actellicus".
Red spider mite
Spider mites are the most malicious pests. Web-tangled plant leaves dry out. Salvation from the tick is the insecticides that process the plant.
Affected Hemanthus Leaves
Gray rot
Diseases on the leaves and white plaque testify to the disease of gray rot. In this case, the hemanthus is treated with a mild fungicide. If the plant is severely affected, it is destroyed.
Staganospore
Hemanthus is susceptible to a disease such as staganospore. A sign of it is red spots on the bulbs and leaves. In the initial stage of the disease, "Fundazole" is used.
Anthracnose
The appearance of dark spots on the leaves, at their ends - the same color of streaks, indicates a plant disease with anthracnose. It is necessary to remove the affected leaves, treat the flower with a solution of Fundazole.
Growing hemanthus from seeds
There is no special secret in the reproduction of hemanthus. You can grow a flower from daughter bulbs, by cutting the leaf or from freshly picked seeds.
Growing hemanthus from seeds
A flower is grown from seeds as ordinary seedlings. Florists note that the haemanthus grown in this way enters the flowering season only after five years. This is the only disadvantage of growing from seeds that breeders do not pay attention to.
When breeding hemanthus at home, you need to take care of it, guided by the advice of experienced flower growers. Plant care is simple, in favorable conditions, any kind of hemanthus will delight flower growers with its flowering.
