When to plant hippeastrum bulbs. Home care for hippeastrum

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.

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

Water procedures

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

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

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

Feeding and fertilizers for hippeastrum

You need to start feeding the flower immediately after it has bloomed. This is necessary for the flower to accumulate strength for the next year. During this period, after the end of flowering, large, long leaves grow especially intensively, and they form bulbous scales that lay new flowers in the future.

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

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

Transfer

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

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

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

Immediately after the end of flowering of the hippeastrum, it is necessary to cut off the wilted flowers and plant the onion in a small pot 2/3 in the ground. If the plant is not strong enough, it is recommended to replant it rarely - once every 3 years. The diameter of the pot in which the hippeastrum bulb is placed should be 6-7 centimeters larger than the diameter of the bulb. The composition of the soil for planting is similar to amaryllis soil - leaf and turf soil, sand, peat, humus (1: 1: 1: 1: 1).

Transfer.

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

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

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

Bloom

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

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

Which breeding method should I choose?

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

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

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

propagation by seeds

Hippeastrum can be propagated using seeds or vegetatively.

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

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

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Children

The easiest way to propagate this flower is by propagation by children. However, gardeners are increasingly practicing dividing the bulb. For successful separation, you need a good, strong onion, which should be cut in half so that each part has an equal piece of scales and bottom left. Sprinkle fresh onion cut with charcoal or activated carbon, and then plant the slices in a light peat mixture. In about 1.5-2 months, new babies will appear. Plant them in new pots when spring arrives.

By dividing the bulb

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

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

The bulb is looked after like an adult hippeastrum. 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.

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

Other methods

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

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

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

Reproduction

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

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

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

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

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

Growing difficulties

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

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

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

Diseases and pests

Various problems can arise with hippeastrum.

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Pests.

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

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

Diseases.

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

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

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

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

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Problems during cultivation: how to eliminate them?

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

Red rot

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

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

Downy mildew

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

Red fungal burn

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

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

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

Doesn't bloom

It also happens that hippeastrum does not begin to bloom at home. This happens for various reasons: excessive watering or lack of water, the bulbs are too small. Change the growing conditions, try periodically applying special fertilizers. 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.

Bloom. The flowering stage begins from the moment the flower arrow appears until the buds wither. The flowering period is on average three weeks. The flower arrow grows for two weeks, the buds bloom for 1-2 days (they can all bloom at once, they can bloom one by one) and the flowers remain in bloom for about a week. The duration of the flowering period depends on temperature conditions (the higher the temperature, the faster the peduncle grows, the faster the buds bloom, the buds wither faster), on the number of peduncles (when the bulb blooms with several peduncles, the flowering period can be up to 1.5 months), on the varietal characteristics (terry varieties bloom 1-2 days earlier than non-terry varieties).
Flowering usually occurs once a year (in autumn or winter, or early spring), and with good care again in the summer. The timing largely depends on care (when the bulb was put to rest) and also on varietal characteristics (there are varieties that bloom at a certain time).

The growing season or growth period. During this period, the hippeastrum recovers after flowering, increases the leaves and volume of the bulb, and lays flower stalks for future flowering. This period is very important, future flowering depends on it. Lasts on average about 8-9 months, and sometimes longer. The timing depends on the recovery of the bulb. It takes longer for very thin bulbs and bulbs to recover after illness (rot, red burn).

Rest period. It begins from the moment the bulb is put into a dark, cool place, and lasts an average of 3 months. The duration depends on the previous season and storage conditions. Healthy, well-fed bulbs are sent to rest.

Caring for Amaryllis

Caring for Hippeastrum - in the section of the Encyclopedia of indoor plants.

Planting hippeastrum

Question: When can hippeastrums be replanted? And how often?

It is advisable to replant once a year; hippeastrums are voracious and quickly consume the supply of nutrients in the soil. You can replant either before sending it to rest, or after a period of rest, i.e. before flowering. In some cases, for example, purchased hippeastrum has faded, it can be replanted after flowering. It is not advisable to replant during the flowering period.

Question: How to plant a bulb correctly? Is it necessary to bury it?

Hippeastrums are planted so that a third of the bulb rises above the ground.

Question: When replanting, do I need to remove dry scales?

From a healthy bulb, only those scales that can be easily removed can be removed. Brown scales that are close to the bulb and cannot be removed do not need to be removed.

Question: What soil should I plant in?

The soil should be light in composition, with good water and air permeability, rich in organic matter. Slightly acidic pH - 5.6-6. You can use store-bought soil or mix it yourself. There is a large selection of purchased soils; there are special soils for bulbous plants.

It is better to add sand or vermiculite to the purchased soil for greater looseness. If you want to make the soil yourself, then the composition is as follows: clay-turf soil, leaf soil, humus, peat and sand (2: 1: 1: 1: 1)

Question: Is it possible to grow hippeastrums in open ground?

It's possible for the summer. In the garden they grow very well and reserve strength for future flowering. Just don’t forget about pests (there are more of them in the garden than in indoor conditions), rodents and the fact that the weather is changeable. During frosts and heavy rains, the bulbs need to be covered. You need to dig up the bulbs before the first autumn frosts.

Feeding hippeastrum

Question: How to properly feed hippeastrum?

The composition of the fertilizer depends on the stage of development. The most important element is potassium. Fertilize approximately once every two weeks.

During the flowering period, emphasis is placed on phosphorus-potassium and a low nitrogen content.

At the beginning of the growing season, the emphasis is on nitrogen-potassium, in the middle nitrogen-phosphorus in equal proportions, slightly more potassium.

A month before the dormant period, feeding is stopped.

A few rules: you can’t fertilize on dry soil, after replanting, the first fertilizing is no earlier than 1.5-2 months, carefully read the instructions and dilute according to the instructions, do not overdose.

Question: Is it better to feed with organic matter or mineral fertilizers?

Hippeastrums are good with both organic and mineral matter. Ideally, it is better to alternate them. There are also special fertilizers for bulbous plants.

Watering hippeastrums

Question: How to water hippeastrums correctly?

Flowering period. Until the arrow has grown by 10-15 cm, water as it dries (i.e. the top layer should dry well between waterings). As soon as the peduncle begins to open, watering should be increased, but no swamp. Hippeastrums do not like the bay.

Growing season. Water as the top layer dries.

Rest period. Watering once every 1.5 months is not very abundant. Watering must be careful; under no circumstances should water get on the bulb, otherwise the upper scales may rot.

Reproduction

Question: What are the methods for propagating hippeastrum?

Seeds, babies, dividing the bulb.

Seed propagation of hippeastrum

As a rule, it is used in breeding to develop new varieties and hybrids. When propagating a variety by seed, 100% compliance with the parent form in seedlings is not guaranteed. Self-pollination does not provide a 100% guarantee that the same variety will be obtained. There are species that cannot self-pollinate. This method of reproduction is the most labor-intensive and time-consuming. An onion grown from seeds blooms with good care in the 5th-6th year.

The pollination process is simple: the stigma of a flower of one variety of hippeastrum is pollinated with pollen from other varieties, pollinated several times from the moment the stigma lobes diverge until complete divergence.

Only healthy bulbs are selected for pollination.

It takes about 1.5-2 months for the seeds to ripen. Seeds can be collected when the seed pod begins to open. Not all seeds are suitable for planting; there are “dummy” seeds (that is, there is no embryo inside), so the seeds are sorted before planting. The largest, plumpest seeds are selected (the embryo can be felt to the touch). The sorted seeds can be sown in the ground, lightly sprinkled with soil, or placed in water (with activated carbon) and wait for germination; as soon as the white root emerges, plant it in the ground (with the white root down). The distance between seeds when planting is 1.5-2 cm.

For seed germination and seedling growth, light, warmth and proper watering are important. The soil should be slightly moist, temperature 20-23 degrees. If these conditions are not met, the seeds may not germinate or may rot. The germination rate of fresh seeds is almost 100%.

Seedlings need to be transplanted as they grow. Don't forget to apply fertilizer.

Spring seedlings are stronger than autumn ones, so seed propagation is best done in the spring. In addition, autumn seedlings need additional lighting in winter.

Reproduction of hippeastrum by children

This method allows you to preserve all varietal characteristics, but the reproduction rate is low. Children are formed irregularly. The formation of children largely depends on the variety, for example, La Paz and Giraffe seabirds easily produce children, but terry varieties are reluctant.

The babies are separated from the mother's bulb during transplantation. When separated, the baby should be at least 2 cm, with good roots. With good care, children bloom in the 4th year.

Hippeastrum propagation by dividing the bulb

This method is rarely used among amateur flower growers. Firstly, because you need to cut a healthy onion. Secondly, there is a risk of losing the bulb and not getting babies (there is a high probability of infection in the wound). But the reproduction rate is high and the resulting children retain their varietal characteristics.

Adult, healthy bulbs are selected for propagation. Dried bulbs that have been in storage for a long time, as well as bulbs during the flowering period and immediately after flowering, are not suitable for division.

Selected bulbs are washed in clean running water and cleaned of old outer scales. The roots and bottom, if it is too high, are cut off with a sterile knife (the bottom cannot be cut off completely). 1/3-1/4 is removed from the top of the onion. After which the onion is cut vertically into 8-16 parts (segments). The width of the segment is 1-2 cm. The number of segments depends on the size of the bulb; the larger the bulb, the more segments. Then each segment is cut into 3-5 divisions, consisting of two scales, fastened at the base with a piece of the bottom. Depending on the size of the uterine bulb, you can get 50-60 or more divisions from one bulb. Before planting, the cuttings are treated with a fungicide (in Maxim, in Vitaros or in foundation).

The cuttings are planted in perlite, sawdust, river sand or in substrates prepared from these components with the addition of peat. The thickness of the substrate layer should be at least 10-12 cm. Substrates that are heavy in mechanical composition are not suitable for planting cuttings. Before planting, the substrate is steamed or poured over the entire thickness of its layer with fungicides to destroy the harmful microflora present in it.

The distance between divisions when planting is small - 1200 - 1500 divisions per 1 m square. Plant in boxes or on racks with bottom heating. Planting is carried out to a depth of no more than 1/3 of the height of the division. Deep planting leads to rotting of the cuttings, a decrease in reproduction productivity, and retards the growth and development of the resulting daughter bulbs.

Planting can also be carried out in segments, without dividing them into divisions. But the productivity of reproduction, despite the large number of daughter bulbs formed by one segment, is lower, since the number of planting units obtained from one bulb is significantly less than when dividing the bulb into segments. Planting in segments is used only when it is necessary to divide small bulbs that have a small amount of scales.

The formation of daughter bulbs occurs a month after planting the divisions at the place where the scales are attached to the bottom. Each division forms 1-2, and individual divisions up to 6, daughter bulbs. Three months after planting the divisions, the newly formed daughter bulbs have an independent root system and 2-3 leaves. At this age, the plants are replanted. The success of reproduction using the paired scale method depends on the temperature and humidity of the substrate.

The temperature of the substrate during the formation of daughter bulbs is maintained within 22-24°C, the air temperature is 1-2°C lower. Lower temperatures, as well as sudden changes in temperature during the formation of daughter bulbs, lead to a sharp decrease in reproductive productivity.

The substrate must be kept moist at all times. Overmoistening and drying out of the substrate reduces the productivity of reproduction. Air humidity is maintained within 75-80%. Increased humidity and air stagnation, decreases and sudden changes in temperature contribute to the massive development of stagonosporosis.

Fertilizing is carried out after the plants have an independent root system and leaf apparatus. Plants that are grown on substrates that do not contain nutrients (perlite, sawdust, river sand) especially need feeding. Fertilizing is carried out with liquid organic or mineral fertilizers twice a month.

Care during the formation of daughter bulbs and in the initial period of plant life consists of systematic watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil and protecting plants from diseases and pests.

Choosing a bulb in a store

Question: How to choose the right onion in the store? What should you pay attention to?

During the forcing season (autumn or spring), hippeastrums can be bought either in bulk (without soil in a plastic bag on which the variety and supplier are written) or in a pot.

When purchasing, carefully inspect the bulb. The neck, bottom and the bulb itself must be strong and dense. The top scales should be dry brown. There should be no compaction, darkening, redness, or rot.

When buying a bulb in a pot, pay attention to the roots (they can be seen through the drainage hole (the roots should be white)), the feel of the bulb (should be strong), the upper scales should be dry brown (soft, wet - rotten), on the leaves (if they exist) and the bulb should not be red.

When buying an onion at a discounted price, try to find out the reason for the discount. Prices are reduced for faded bulbs at the end of the planting season. Sometimes they sell flooded bulbs with rot at reduced prices. And it’s also worth noting that mis-grading is very common in stores.

Questions about hippeastrum flowering

Question: How long does hippeastrum bloom?

On average, the flowering period takes 3 weeks (from the moment the peduncle appears until the buds wither). The flowering period is extended when the bulb blooms with several peduncles (after all, the peduncles do not always bloom at the same time, sometimes one after the other).

Temperature also affects flowering times. At a temperature of deg. 25 The peduncle grows quickly, the bud opens quickly, and the bud quickly fades. Optimum temperature deg. 18-20. There is a little trick: as soon as the bud opens, the hippeastrum can be moved to a cooler place (degree 16), then the flowering will last longer.

Question: Hippeastrum grows leaves and does not want to bloom. How to achieve flowering?

First of all, you need to think about the conditions under which hippeastrum is kept.

1. The bulb may be too small. Typically, bulbs smaller than 6 cm are children, or bulbs that spent a lot of effort on flowering and are too weak after flowering. It is too early for such bulbs to bloom; they need to increase their volume, i.e. fertilizing (nitrogen-potassium) and light are needed; there is no need to arrange a rest period.

2. For flowering, it is very important that the bulb regains its strength during the growth period and lays a flower arrow (usually the arrow is laid after every 4th leaf).

3. The bulb lacks nutrients. Consider how long ago you replanted your bulb. It is advisable to replant even an adult bulb every year, since during the growth period the hippeastrum consumes all the nutrients in the soil. In addition to replanting, the bulb needs proper feeding to restore its strength. During flowering - phosphorus-potassium and a small nitrogen content, after flowering nitrogen-potassium and a small phosphorus content.

4. Lack of light. Think about what kind of lighting you have. Hippeastrums are light-loving and can be easily placed on a sunny southern window.

With such illumination, during the growth period (spring-summer) they will get stronger and lay a flower arrow, and maybe more than one. A bulb that has not received enough light, for example, has stood on a northern windowsill all spring and summer or, in a place where the sun's rays rarely reach, may not flourish.

5. In what container is the hippeastrum planted? The pot should not be very spacious. The distance from the bulb to the wall of the pot is no more than 3 cm.

6. Don't forget about the rest period. After a rapid period of growth, the bulb needs to rest for two to three months in a cool, dark place.

Question: The bulb is 3 cm, why doesn’t it bloom?

It's a baby, too small to bloom.

Question: A third flower stalk has appeared, I’m worried about the bulb. Will she have enough strength?

A well-fed bulb quietly blooms with three peduncles. If you are worried about the onion, then as soon as the bud opens, the peduncle can be cut off and placed in water.

Question: On the third arrow, the flowers were not as large as on the first two. Why?

I didn't have enough strength. As soon as the buds open, it is better to cut off such a peduncle and place it in water.

Question: How many flowers can there be on one peduncle?

From 2 to 6. The quantity depends on the age of the bulb and varietal characteristics.

Question: Why does hippeastrum have a peduncle longer than 80 cm?

Or there is not enough light. The more light, the shorter the peduncle.

Question: A peduncle has appeared, the bulb has 60 cm leaves. Do I need to trim the leaves?

There is no need to trim the leaves. This is stress; strength will be needed to heal the wound (cut site) and to produce new leaves. Why waste her extra energy? All her energy is now spent on flowering.

Question: Is it possible to get flowering by a certain date? I want it to bloom for the New Year.

Yes, you can. The calculation is as follows: on average, the dormant period lasts 2.5 months (10 weeks), from the moment the flower shoot appears until the buds open, about 3 weeks pass. In total, it turns out to be 13 weeks (a little more than 3 months). This means that in order to get flowering for the New Year, you need to send the bulb to rest in early October.

Question: Is it possible to achieve flowering on northern windows?

Hippeastrums are light-loving and feel more comfortable on southern, western, and eastern windows. You can make it bloom on a north, north-west, or north-east window. But the hippeastrum grows the bulb and recovers poorly after flowering, it spends a lot of energy on flowering (the bulb noticeably loses weight), produces long leaves and not so many, peduncles are very long and elongated.

Question: The peduncle rotates around its axis. Is this normal?

It's okay, he's reaching for the light.

Question: The buds have withered. When should you remove the peduncle?

In order not to weaken the flower stalk after the buds have withered, you need to cut it off.

Question: Is it true that it is very difficult to get the next flowering from the Dutch?

It is a myth. Flowering does not depend on the “Dutch”, but on the conditions of detention.

Hippeastrum growing season

Question: After flowering, the bulb has voids. Is this normal?

She spent energy on flowering, which is why voids were formed. There is nothing wrong, the bulb needs to recover. Over time, the voids will close. Try to water more carefully so that water does not get into the “voids.”

Question: The bulb after abundant flowering (there were 3 peduncles) lost a lot of weight. How can I help her recover? And will it be restored to its original size?

In room conditions, the bulb can be restored to its original size, it all depends on care. To recover, she needs: a sufficient amount of light, proper feeding, watering. The slowest to recover are the bulbs that bloomed with three peduncles. Such bulbs spent a lot of effort on flowering and can easily skip the next flowering.

Question: Hippeastrum bloomed with three shoots last year. This year it refuses to bloom. Care according to the rules (light, feeding, rest). The bulb is strong, grew 10 leaves during the growing season, and retired on its own. Why didn't it bloom?

It is possible that the hippeastrum missed flowering. I spent a lot of effort on the previous flowering. And during the growing season I only managed to grow the bulb. Continue care, it will bloom next year.

Question: Hippeastrum has bloomed, the shoot has dried up, but there are no leaves? What is he going through now: growing season or immediate dormancy?

Vegetation. There are varieties that bloom in a leafless state. Leaves appear within a month.
If the flowering bulb was recently purchased, it may not have roots. She spent all her energy on flowering, now she is growing roots, then leaves will appear.

Question: Hippeastrum has faded. The first leaf appeared and turned yellow almost immediately, a little later two more leaves appeared, and they turned yellow and dried out. The bulb is strong, dense, no rot. I replanted it, but there were no roots when replanting. Watering is neat. It is on the east window. What with her?

Most likely the problem is the lack of roots. Healthy leaves will appear as soon as the bulb has roots. You can stimulate the formation of roots with “kornevin” or “heterauxin”.

Question: The purchased hippeastrum has bloomed and was planted in peat upon purchase. I want to transplant. Can I replant after flowering?

It is possible and even necessary. When replanting, be sure to inspect the roots; in the store they often flood, and rot forms on the roots and bulb. Old peat must be removed from the roots and treated with Maxim (or another fungicide) before planting.

Question: Hippeastrum leaves are falling down too long, what kind of support can I come up with?

In the store you can find various supports, similar to those shown in the photo. If you connect them together, or use them separately, you get convenient support for the leaves. The supports can be plastic or bamboo. You can use woolen thread to tie the leaves to the support.

Question: How to properly cut off a peduncle after flowering?

Cut so that about 10 cm of the peduncle remains from the neck of the bulb. After the remainder of the peduncle dries, it can be easily twisted out. You can see from the remainder of the peduncle whether the bulb is healthy or not. A healthy bulb has a dry peduncle; a diseased bulb has a slimy, soft, red peduncle.

Question: Leaves appeared from the ground, what are they?

These are leaves from the baby.

Question: The leaves have a red tint. What is this red burn?

If the purple discoloration is uniform on all leaves and begins at the base of the leaves, then this is a varietal feature and indicates that the bulb blooms red or with a predominance of red and dark red color. Varieties with purple foliage: Red Lion, Benfica, Lima, Papilio Butterfly, Rapido, La Paz.
If sudden red streaks or spots of redness appear on the leaves, then the cause is rot or “red burn.”

Hippeastrum dormant period

Question: The leaves of the hippeastrum began to turn yellow and wither. Maybe he's going to retire?

Look at the onion. Have you grown up? Did you grow leaves during the growing season? If yes, then the bulb is going to rest. You need to put it in a dark, cool place and reduce watering. The bulb will take all the nutrients from the leaves.

Question: I bought hippeastrum in early November and it bloomed. During 4 months of growth, it grew 7 leaves. Should he be retired (it’s March now)?

It’s too early to retire; the bulb hasn’t had time to recover. Send in early fall.

Question: How to send an onion to rest?

Place the onion in a dark, cool place. There is no need to cut off the leaves; the bulb will take nutrients from them. After some time, the leaves will turn yellow and wilt and can be easily removed.

Question: Why retire?

My hippeastrum blooms once a year without a dormant period.

And if you don’t want to kick them out, you don’t have to arrange a rest period. In this case, it is difficult to predict flowering.

Question: How to determine whether the hippeastrum bulb is awake?

The bulb woke up as soon as the peduncle or leaves appeared.

Question: When to “wake up” the bulb? Or wait until she wakes up?

At rest for more than 2 months. If it is in a cool place, then it is enough to bring it into a warmer, bright place and the forcing effect will work. If you don’t do anything, she will wake up on her own when she deems it necessary.

Question: Hippeastrum retired three months ago. Now there is no flower shoot or leaves, the bulb has lost weight. What to do?

The bulb gave all its strength to the previous flowering and did not recover. Take out the bulb, replant it in fresh soil, let it grow and restore its strength. Such a bulb is unlikely to flourish.

Question: Hippeastrum was sent to rest (in a dark, cool place). No sooner had the leaves dried than new ones appeared. What to do with him?

Option one, the bulb has rested and is ready to bloom. You can keep it in a dark place for a little while (a week or two) (wait for the peduncle) or immediately place it on the windowsill.
Option two, they retired early. The bulb did not have time to regain its strength and continues to grow. Take it out and let the bulb recover.

Question: Is it necessary to send the baby hippeastrum to rest?

No. There is no need to give children a rest period.

Difference between hippeastrum and amaryllis

Both plants belong to the same Amaryllidaceae family.
At first, both hippeastrum and amaryllis belonged to the genus Amaryllis. Subsequently, taxonomy, due to significant differences in the structure of plants, resulted in two different genera. The botanical name amaryllis went to the species amaryllis belladonna, the rest got the name hippeastrum.

Signs	Hippeastrum	Amaryllis
Number of species	Approximately 50-70 species, although some sources mention up to 85 species	one species Amaryllis Belladonna
Origin	subtropics and tropics of America	South Africa
Number of chromosomes	X=11. In most cases, incompatible with other genera of the Amaryllis family.	X=11. Freely crosses with other genera of the Amaryllis family, including Crinum, Nerine, Brunsvigia.
Evergreen or deciduous	Depends on the species, most species are deciduous, with a pronounced dormant period, but there are species without a pronounced dormant period (evergreen), for example, Hippeastrum Papilio.	With a pronounced dormant period, the leaves are shed during the dormant period. A dormant period is necessary for the development of the flower bud.
Flowering period	Usually blooms once a year. The flowering period depends on forcing: early forcing means autumn flowering, late forcing means flowering in winter and spring. Some hippeastrums bloom twice a year, usually blooming again in summer.	End of summer, autumn. Flowering once a year.
Peduncle (main difference)	Hollow, cylindrical, up to 90 cm high, the color of the peduncle is usually green, but can be green with purple, gray or brown shades	Not hollow, up to 96 cm high, with a purple tint.
Number of flowers on a peduncle	Usually from 2 to 6, but some species have up to 15 flowers with a weak odor or no odor. The number of flowers depends on the species and variety, for example, the species wild Hippeastrum fosteri develops up to 15 flowers on one peduncle, the small-flowered Rapido has up to 9, the small-flowered Jaguar has up to 8, the terry medium-flowered Alfresco has up to 8.	from 6 to 12 fragrant flowers.
Color of flowers	Red, pink, orange, yellow, green, cream, white; one-color or two-color; with stripes, veined, speckled.	Shades of pink range from deep pink-red to almost white.
Shape of flowers	Various: double, long-tubular, orchid-like, similar in shape to Leopoldii and Reginae, etc.	funnel-shaped
Flower size	Depends on the variety and type: from 5 cm to 22 cm	from 9 to 13 cm
Perianth petals	6 similar or different in shape and size (depending on the type)	6 similar in shape and size
Bracts (protective casing of the inflorescence)	2	2
Perianth tube	Depending on the species, it can be very long, up to 15 cm, or very short, 2-4 cm.	short
Leaves	Depending on the type, the leaves are green, glossy or matte, silky or hard, long, belt-like. Appear before or simultaneously with the flower arrow. Leaves length up to 90 cm, width 3.5-5 cm.	The leaves are narrow, bright green, glossy. The shape is grooved. Leaf length is up to 60 cm, width up to 3.5 cm. They appear after flowering (i.e. they bloom in a leafless state).
Bulb, shape	symmetrical. Depending on the type, the shape can be different, round, round-conical or slightly elongated.	pear-shaped
Bulb, diameter (adult, capable of flowering)	7 cm - more than 10 cm. The size depends on the variety: most wild species, tubular and small-flowered varieties have small bulbs, large-flowered and double-flowered varieties have large bulbs in an adult plant capable of flowering. The size of the bulb depends on the variety (in small-flowered varieties the size of an adult bulb is smaller than in large-flowered ones)	more than 12 cm.
Scales	white in color, the structure resembles onion scales, the scale breaks easily (without effort)	grayish in color, have pubescence on the inside (the pubescence looks like cotton wool or cobwebs), it is difficult to tear the scales
Seeds	The seed capsule contains about 30-45 flat, black, disc-shaped seeds with flying wings. The embryo is covered with black protective tissue.	The seed capsule contains about 20 thick, bulbous, light pomegranate seeds.
Seed germination (germination)	Usually about 2 weeks, sometimes a little more.	About 56 days.
Features of children's education	Usually babies appear closer to the drying scales.	An interesting feature in adult bulbs is that children appear between the scales in the middle of the bulb, and several growth points are obtained.
Features of cultivation	In indoor conditions it grows and blooms well. Typically, the growing season occurs in spring–summer, the dormant period occurs in autumn, the beginning of winter, and the flowering period occurs in late autumn, winter, and spring.	In indoor conditions it is difficult to grow and bloom, because its biological cycle is disrupted. The plant is native to Africa and blooms when it is spring in Africa, during the rainy season. After flowering it vegetates, and during periods of drought and high temperatures it rests. In our conditions, African spring occurs in autumn, so it blooms here (in Russia) in autumn. During the growth period (in our conditions, winter-spring) it lacks light. The plant is very light-loving. Best grown in the garden in direct sun. The temperature should not be lower than 10 degrees, so in the fall they need to be dug up and put in a warmer, brighter place.

The article used the experience of forum members: Veta, Severina, Elena Prekrasnaya, Olga Gr, Faust, ITALIA, Lucien, Apsara, Vesna, Simona, Romashka. Thanks for the experience and advice.

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 a perennial plant emerging from a 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:

1. It is almost impossible to obtain seeds suitable for future sowings from light and white varieties of hippeastrum, since they are hybrids.
2. 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.
3. 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 is lightness of the soil, which could quickly pass moisture through itself and provide good air supply to the bulb.

It is also important that the soil contains a lot of organic fertilizers, and its acidity level does 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. It’s true that it wouldn’t hurt to add a little sand to the purchased soil.

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 in addition to its large size, the bulb must 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 thick tulle 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 in a variety of ways, among which at home you can use both seeds and parts of the plant. 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 propagating hippeastrum from seeds, 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 using 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,

All over the world, the Hippeastrum flower is grown as a houseplant, and in warm regions - as a decoration for outdoor flower beds. Stems with beautiful flowers are used for cutting and making bouquets. There are about 2,000 varieties of Hippeastrum, 200 of them are the most popular.

Hippeastrum - description of the plant and its variety

Hippeastrum is a bulbous plant native to South America. It is a close relative of daffodils and snowdrops. It is distinguished by a long flowering stem - up to 80 cm, on which 5 - 6 buds appear during the flowering period. Blooming flowers can reach 15 - 25 cm in diameter. Selected varieties of Hippeastrum have simple, double or orchid-shaped flowers in a variety of colors. There are both solid-colored varieties - from white to purple, as well as speckled and brindle.

Hippeastrum and Amaryllis - differences

Hippeastrum and Amaryllis are different plants. They belong to the same family and have external similarities. But there are several important differences between Hippeastrum and Amaryllis:

How to plant a flower correctly

Hippeastrums are recommended to be grown in small pots. In a spacious container, “babies” appear near the bulb, but the plant may not bloom. Therefore, the diameter of the pot should be only 2 - 3 cm larger than the bulb. In this case, the dishes should be heavy enough so as not to tip over under the weight of the peduncle. Small ceramic containers are ideal.

It is recommended to use small pebbles rather than expanded clay as a drainage layer. This makes the pot heavier and gives it stability. The soil mixture for Hippeastrum is prepared from equal parts of humus, leaf soil and sand. Store-bought soil for bulbous plants is suitable.

When planting Hippeastrum, several recommendations should be followed:

• The onion must be peeled from the top dry brown husk. This stimulates the awakening of the plant and makes it possible to detect foci of diseases that are hidden under the scales.
• If there are “babies”, it is better to separate them and plant them separately from the mother plant so that they do not take away the strength that is needed for flowering.
• Bulbs should be planted bottom down. In this case, the upper half should remain above the ground surface. It cannot be completely immersed in the soil. The soil around the plant must be thoroughly compacted.

After planting, the soil in the pot should be watered moderately with settled water. The container should be placed in a bright, warm place.

Attention! After planting, hippeastrums should not be frequently moved from place to place or watered with fertilizers. These procedures should be postponed until after flowering.

Basic care details

Caring for Hippeastrum at home has its own characteristics. These plants love the sun and bloom most readily on south-facing windows. In summer, flowers can be placed on the balcony. Some gardeners in the southern regions even plant them in open ground for the summer.

Flowers should be watered rarely and very moderately. This plant does not tolerate excess moisture. Under no circumstances should you pour water directly onto the bulb. When Hippeastrum throws out a flowering arrow, you can slightly increase watering by adding flowering stimulants to the water.

Fading flowers should be carefully plucked off. When flowering ends, it is recommended to trim the stem. If you leave fading flowers, seeds will form in their place, which can be used to propagate the plant. But this weakens the bulb, and next year the Hippeastrum may not bloom.

Feeding is an important part of caring for Hippeastrums after flowering at home. The plant uses accumulated nutrients to form peduncles and buds. If you do not help it restore the spent reserves, the bulb will go into hibernation weakened. As a result, Hippeastrum may die or simply not bloom.

Plants are fed with complex fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Experienced gardeners recommend applying special formulations for bulbous plants. Others have success using universal fertilizers and even tomato fertilizer. Fertilizers should be applied every 3 to 4 weeks, until signs of leaf wilting appear.

If you overfeed the plant, it may not go into a state of hibernation, but will throw out the peduncle again. You can let Hippeastrum bloom a second time, but do not fertilize it and reduce watering to a minimum. This will help him prepare for the rest period.

When the leaves of Hippeastrum noticeably turn yellow and wither, watering should be stopped completely. The pot should be moved to a dark, dry, cool place. Dying leaves need to be removed. The winter dormancy period lasts 2 - 3 months - until February or March. Then Hippeastrum needs to be returned to a warm, lighted place for the next growing season. To quickly force flowers, you can transplant the bulb into hydrogel.

Important! You should not put a flower pot in the bathroom for the winter. Due to increased air humidity, the dormant bulb may be affected by rot or fungal disease.

How to transplant Hippeastrum

Hippeastrum should be replanted every 1-2 years, 3-5 weeks after flowering. In this case, it is advisable to replace the soil. When transplanting, Hippeastrum bulbs must be freed from the outer husks and large “babies”.

If the flower needs to be propagated, then the small daughter bulbs can be left to grow. Areas affected by rot or fungus must be cut off and treated with a fungicide before replanting.

Reproduction

Hippeastrum propagation occurs by daughter bulbs or seeds. Both of them should be treated with a growth stimulator before planting. Several “babies” can be planted in one container, and seated when they feel crowded. The main rule: do not fill with water!

Why Hippeastrum does not bloom and how to deal with it

Hippeastrum does not throw out a flowering stem for the following reasons:

• The plant is planted too deep. Carefully remove the top layer of soil so that half of the bulb is above the soil.
• The dishes are too spacious. In this case, Hippeastrum begins to produce “babies”, and it simply has no strength left for flowers. You should dig up the plant, clear it of daughter bulbs and replant it in a tight container.
• Excess moisture. You need to stop watering and let the earthen lump in the pot dry out. Then water as little as possible. For Hippeastrum, this will be a signal for the start of flowering.

Flower diseases and pests

Pests of Hippeastrum are thrips, scale insects, onion mites and narcissus flies. Treatment with insecticides helps combat them.
Hippeastrum is often damaged by rot and fungal infection. The best prevention is limited watering. Traces of rot and fungal diseases are usually discovered during transplantation. It is necessary to cut off the affected areas with a sharp knife and treat with fungicides. Planting such bulbs will have to be postponed for 2 - 3 days so that they dry out.
Staganosporosis or red burn- This is a red fungus. Most often it appears when planting a purchased infected bulb. It is difficult to cure such a plant, so you need to carefully examine the planting material. If the bulb is covered with red spots, you should refrain from purchasing.

If there are no roots, the plant may have been flooded. In this case it is necessary:

• cut off leaves and remaining roots;
• treat with Fundazol and dry;
• retire for 2 - 3 months;
• treat with Kornevin;
• plant in fresh soil mixed with sand or vermiculite;
• place in a warm, illuminated place.

This bulb needs to be watered rarely. You will have to be patient: roots may take several months to appear.

Video instructions for transplanting Hippeastrum:

- an indoor plant distinguished by an interesting large flower, similar to a trumpet lily. It is a bulbous flower, and it blooms no more than 1-2 times a year, and then under good conditions.

But in order for the pet to develop normally, bloom beautifully and grow in volume, it is recommended to arrange full periods of rest, as well as provide appropriate care for the indoor plant. Therefore, you should understand the intricacies of growing this shrub.

Hippeastrum comes from the Amaryllis family. In living nature, the number of different plant species exceeds more than 90 types. The exotic name of the pet is translated from ancient Greek as “horseman” and “star”.

The flower is often identified with amaryllis. But the whole difference between the representatives of the family is that the beautiful amaryllis, first of all, is the only specimen in its genus, and its homeland is the southern side of Africa. While Hippeastrum has a large number of different species, as well as its location is recorded in the tropical and subtropical forests of America.

The following features of the exotic are distinguished:

• The most beautiful exotic flowers are located on a high massive arrow. Because of its bright color and durability, the plant is called royal.
• Hippeastrum is a bulbous plant, so it can live for decades.
• The foliage of a green pet begins to grow only at the moment when the arrow extends and the inflorescences bloom.
• The external structure of the plant is such that they have the appearance of a tongue and have an original rich dark green color. The upper side of the plant is glossy, but has a fairly dense structure.
• The leaf plate can extend up to 50 cm in length.
• The inflorescences of Hippeastrum are large, large, reaching 25 cm in diameter. Externally they are distinguished by the shape of a funnel.
• When flowering, they do not release aroma into the air.
• If the exotic has grown, then from one large bulb you get 2 powerful arrows, 3-4 flowers on each.

Flowers can vary in color from red and pink to white. Some species have interesting color schemes - one flower is a bright red hue, the other is a calmer pink. Other inflorescences are distinguished by a striped tone. Flowering in most cases occurs either in spring or in the spring.

The formation of buds begins in early February. The flowering period continues until mid-March or even until the end of March. But if the plant is kept in comfortable conditions, its inflorescences can survive until the end of May.

It is recommended to count the flowering period annually. 3 months before the expected date, the flower is transferred from the room in which it was located during the dormant period to warmer conditions. During the growing season, exotic plants require a large amount of sunlight, so they should be placed on south-eastern or south-western window sills.

Watering should be done as needed.

If the room is dry enough, then irrigation should be carried out frequently; if it is cool, then excessive watering is contraindicated. It is important to add nutritious moisture at the moment when the flower arrow develops and the leaf plates stretch.

In order for the inflorescence to bloom actively and beautifully, before planting in a new flowerpot, the tuber should be kept for 3 hours in hot water at a temperature of 40 C. Thus, before flowering, you should not make any special efforts. Be sure to introduce constant watering and provide the plant with favorable conditions for normal growth and development.

Young hippeastrums require annual planting. The event is carried out either before the start of flowering, in February-March, or after the flower has completely faded and is preparing to go into a dormant period. This moment comes at the end of November. For plants older than 5 years of age, this procedure can be carried out once every 2 years.

How to replant a flower correctly:

• It is recommended to start transplanting by preparing the container. To do this, you should take a pot that is 10 cm larger than the volume of the bulb. If the pot is much smaller, the plant will not be able to grow normally and produce the desired arrow.
• Soil can be purchased in specialized stores. A regular soil substrate for indoor plants will do. The advantages of such soil are that a sufficient amount of mineral additives and nutrients are added to the ground in advance. But before planting, the acidity of the soil should be determined. In highly acidic soil, hippeastrum will not bloom and may even die.
• You can also prepare the soil substrate yourself. To do this, combine turf soil, broken dry peat, river sand and humus. All components are taken in equal parts.
• The soil you prepare yourself should first be calcined in the oven, and also spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This will neutralize all pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms that populate this soil.
• Drainage is placed at the bottom of the prepared flowerpot. For which you can use sea pebbles, broken bricks, expanded clay or medium-sized crushed stone. The container is filled to the middle with soil mixture. A tuber is placed on top. It should be covered with soil so that the soil covers 2/3 of it. The remaining part should look out onto the street. With this appearance it is easier to control the condition of the flower.

After planting, the plant is watered, which should be applied in moderation so that the nutrient moisture does not stagnate in the soil. Otherwise, you can provoke a fungal disease of the tuber.

A distinctive feature of the hippeastrum is its clear delineation of life phases. It has moments of growth, flowering and rest. The dormant period occurs at the moment when the plant does not send out arrows and is not preparing for flowering. The onset of the moment of going to rest can be regulated, due to the fact that this moment depends on the forcing of a flower of a late or early nature.

The most optimal rest time for a bulbous plant is the first days of November until the end of January.

At this moment, it is time for internal restoration after flowering. All life processes slow down, the plant rests. This condition can last from 1 to 3 months. At this moment, it is recommended to recreate optimal conditions for a comfortable stay. Only in a favorable climate is further optimal development of the hippeastrum possible.

The exotic must be placed in a warm, darkened room where optimal humidity will be maintained. In this case, the temperature in the room should not exceed +13..+15 C. During the dormant period, the plant should also be looked after. The following rules for caring for hippeastrum during the dormant period are distinguished:

1. Place in a dark place.
2. Dig it up.
3. Carefully place the tubers in a wooden box.
4. Make sure that the plant is not exposed to freezing.

After keeping the plant in this state for 1-3 months, the plant should be returned to its normal state. It is transferred to a warm room, to a sunny place. Within 1.5-2 weeks a young leaf will appear. Only after the appearance of a tender leaf blade is it recommended to resume standard care. It is definitely recommended to place the pot in a sunny place so that the leaf plates do not stretch.

The shrub needs a period of rest in order to renew its own strength and absorb new nutrients from the soil. After this period, the plant is again ready to delight with riotous flowering. Thus, by maintaining exotic plants in certain conditions, in the spring you can get a gorgeous bush with flowering dense funnels of a bright shade. The main thing is to completely recreate the optimal conditions for the bush to rest.

After the bush has flowered, it is recommended to carry out a number of necessary actions. First of all, it is necessary to give the plant the opportunity to gain strength for further growth. After all, only appropriate care will allow you to re-release a powerful arrow with peduncles in the future.

After all the buds have withered, the arrow is cut off, but not completely at the root.

It is necessary to leave about 15 cm of the base of the arrow above the bulb. Due to the remaining stem, the exotic draws into the tuber all the useful substances concentrated in the stem. It is necessary to remove the arrow only after the tuber has completely taken all the nutrients from it and it has dried out. Only after this is the arrow carefully unscrewed from the base, so as not to damage the main plant.

After flowering, the plant's foliage may continue to grow. She produces this slowly - 1 sheet per month. To prevent the plant from drying out, it must be watered moderately periodically. In addition, before the plant retires, liquid fertilizers should be applied. Fertilizers must contain potassium and phosphorus. For good growth, the bulb should be fertilized at least 2 times a month.

The fact that the plant is preparing for a period of dormancy will be indicated by the acquisition of yellow foliage. During this period, it is very important to properly prepare the exotic for retirement:

• Yellowed leaf blades are cut off.
• The introduction of nutrient fluid is gradually stopped. Watering is carried out once every 21 days.
• The pot with the tuber is placed in a cool place with dim light.
• To prevent the tuber from producing young leaves, it is recommended to pull it out of the ground, placing it in a dry room, or wrap it in paper and place it in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator.

Correctly carried out care after flowering and before preparing for dormancy will allow the plant not only to be saturated with useful substances, but also to thoroughly prepare for the next growing season.

When growing hippeastrum, every gardener strives to ensure that the plant not only produces new foliage, but also blooms beautifully. A long absence of flowering may be the result of improper care of the shrub.

The following reasons and their solutions are identified due to which exotic plants stop blooming:

1. Transplanting a young plant - if propagation is carried out using tubers, then a one-year-old tuber will not shoot. The first release of buds is possible if the tuber is more than 7 cm and the plant is older than 2 years.
2. Lack of feeding - after flowering it is definitely recommended to feed. A long-term lack of nutrients leads to suppression of the bush and lack of budding.
3. Depleted soil - if the shrub is not transplanted from its native place for a long time, it completely sucks out from the soil all the nutrients necessary for growth. It is recommended to replant once every 1-2 years.
4. Insufficient light - the plant is placed on northern windowsills. Be sure to move the pot to the south side, where the bush will have enough sunlight.
5. The rest regime is violated - incorrect preparation of the exot for retirement and failure to comply with the proper conditions during this period.

Thanks to proper care, the hippeastrum will strengthen and grow in width. Every year he will be able to give birth to more children and release a significantly larger number of arrows. The main thing is to properly care for the shrub not only during the flowering period, but also before budding and after flowering.

Thus, hippeastrum is an unpretentious flower that does not require additional care. The most important points in its maintenance are infrequent moderate watering and control over the condition of the plant. In addition, to saturate the exotic with nutrients, replanting and fertilizing should be carried out.

More information can be found in the video: