Botanical features of amaryllis belladonna. Plum details. Cultivation, useful properties and variety selection Growing from seeds

Amaryllis belladonna, or Amaryllis beauty (Amarüllis belladonna), is a monocotyledonous flowering plant and belongs to the type species of the genus Amaryllis (Amaryllis) and the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae). . This heat-loving plant is native to South Africa.

The flowers of this species, growing in natural conditions, are characterized by the presence of all shades of pink and red, as well as white. Through breeding work, specialists have obtained plants that form flowers of purple, orange, yellow, greenish color, as well as all kinds of combined options.

Botanical description

The average diameter of the bulb can vary between 5-10 cm. The plant forms leafless peduncles and green foliage. The length of the leaves is 30-50 cm with a width of 20-30 mm. The arrangement of foliage is two-row. Foliage formation in cold climates is noted in early spring.

In the last decade of summer, the bulb forms one or a pair of bare peduncles, the height of which can reach 30-60 cm. Inflorescences are formed on peduncles, consisting of several funnel-shaped flowers. The flowers are white or pinkish in color, but there are varieties with red and purple flowers. The average diameter of flowers consisting of six petals can vary between 6-10 cm.

How to care for amaryllis (video)

poisonous flower

Amaryllis belladonna is one of the poisonous plants., and even a small dose of the bulb of this ornamental crop causes a strong gag reflex. A significant dose of the plant is highly toxic. It is important to note that the foliage of this species of amaryllis has a well-known property to relieve cramps and spasms. The highly poisonous vegetable juice obtained from the plant is quite often used by some natives and tribes to poison arrows while hunting.

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Landing Rules

Amaryllis are very thermophilic plants. and rather poorly tolerate the winter period in open ground conditions. In home gardening, the cultivation of this ornamental crop is allowed only in regions with fairly mild climatic conditions.

For indoor cultivation, preference should be given to the following popular and highly decorative, but unpretentious varieties:

• large-flowered variety with pink petals "Major";
• variety with relatively small light pink flowers "Minor";
• variety with flowers of medium size and bright pink coloring "Elata";
• variety "Purpurea", with purple-red flowers with a white or whitish-yellow throat;
• white-flowered and non-aromatic variety "Alba".

Planting amaryllis belladonna is most often carried out by daughter bulbs-children or delenki, which can be obtained by transplanting greasy overgrown adult plants. Separation of children from an adult plant and division is carried out with complete drying of the aerial part. Young plants enter the flowering phase in the second or third year. Seed propagation is quite laborious and allows you to get an adult flowering plant no earlier than five years later.

How and when to plant amaryllis (video)

Today, decorative culture belongs to the category of rather rare plants, as it is almost completely replaced by brighter and highly decorative Dutch hybrids of hypeastrum.

Features of growing at home

When creating optimal growing conditions for an ornamental culture, the plant retains its external attractiveness all year round and allows the amateur grower to enjoy lush flowering:

• at the stage of active growth, a flower pot with a plant must be installed on windows facing the southwest or southeast side;
• when the plant is located on the south window, the ornamental culture will need shading from direct sunlight, which will protect the foliage from blanching and fading;
• at the dormant stage, the plant does not need lighting, and the flower pot should be placed in a dark and cool place with a constant temperature and good ventilation;
• during the period of activation of growth processes, decorative culture needs to be provided with lighting for 14–16 hours in the form of bright but diffused light;

• amaryllis foliage and arrow-flower stalk stretch towards the sun, and the flower pot must be periodically turned towards the light;
• amaryllis belongs to the category of moisture-loving, and for the implementation of irrigation measures, settled water at room temperature should be used;
• the soil in the flower pot should not dry out too much, but excessive soil moisture can quickly destroy the plant;
• at the stage of active flowering, irrigation measures should be done more frequent and plentiful, and before flowering, it is recommended to lightly moisten the buds;
• at the dormant stage, watering should be completely excluded and replaced by spraying the soil in a flower pot;
• the optimum humidity in the place of winter storage of ornamental crops should be approximately 65%.

When grown in the conditions of indoor floriculture in summer, it is necessary to maintain the temperature during the day at the level of 22-24ºС and about 18-19ºС at night. In winter, the temperature should be stable within 10-12ºС.

outdoor cultivation

In home gardening, amaryllis belladonna grows quite well even in the middle lane with moderate soil and climatic factors when creating the most comfortable conditions:

• the place for planting and growing crops should be sufficiently sunny or with slight shading;
• the area for cultivation should be represented by fertile, well-drained soil;
• completely healthy and high-quality bulbs should be planted with a depth of 20-25 cm in pre-prepared planting holes with a drainage layer;
• a sufficiently high and well-developed neck of the bulb during planting should not rise above the ground level;
• it is recommended to plant adult plants every four years, immediately after the foliage wilts or after flowering;
• in late autumn, the plant should be prepared for winter frosts, and it is recommended to use dry foliage, pine litter or peat chips as a shelter, the layer of which should be about 10-15 cm.

Life Form:

bulbous plant

Virulence:

the plant is poisonous

Maximum sizes in culture:

Care and problems with growing:

Transfer:
. it is better to transplant the plant as little as possible so as not to damage the roots that grow poorly;
. the height of the pot should be greater than its diameter, and the distance between the edge of the pot and the bulb is only 2-3 cm

composition of the soil mixture: sod land: leaf land: peat: sand (1:2:1:1)

acidity (pH): slightly acidic (5.0-6.0)

Poorly tolerates damage to brittle roots;
. if the temperature in winter is too high and there is not enough light, the plant is strongly stretched;
. can be damaged by scale insects and spider mites, the most common disease is red mushroom burn (staganospore) - red spots on the bulb and leaves, similar to rust.
For treatment, the bulb is removed from the pot, cleaned of the upper dry and diseased scales, the lesions are cut out to healthy tissue, after which all the wounds are sprinkled with a mixture of chalk and copper sulfate (20: 1). After that, the bulb is dried for about a week and planted in a fresh steamed and, preferably, treated with some fungicidal preparation, a substrate with a low humus content. Only the bottom and roots of the plant should be in the ground, and the bulb itself should rise above the soil surface

Rest care:

optimal temperature: 8-15°C

watering and air humidity: moderate

rest period:
. amaryllis can have from 1 to 3 dormant periods per year (according to the number of blooms), depending on your desire;
. the duration of the dormant period is 2-3 months;
. during the dormant period, the temperature should not be higher than 15 ° C, the place is dark, watering is minimal

Reproduction:

Daughter baby bulbs;
. fresh seeds (seeds quickly lose their germination capacity, so they should be sown almost immediately after harvest);
. when sowing seeds, varietal characteristics are not reproduced, and flowering has to wait about 5 years

Culture Specific Requirements:

For the summer, it is recommended to take it out to the balcony or to the garden, in a place slightly protected from direct sunlight;
. plants require a mandatory rest period of 2 months;
. once every 3-4 years, flowering can be stimulated by treating the dormant bulb with hot water (43-45 ° C), after which flowering usually occurs after 20-30 days; however, this stimulation should not be carried out too often, so as not to deplete the plant;
. as for all bulbs, mixing unrotted organic matter (manure) with the soil is unacceptable, as it leads to rotting of the bulb

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25.01.2015 | 1417

The birthplace of this beautiful flower is the famous Cape Province, which gave the world a huge number of exotic plants. Despite the origin, the charming amaryllis belladonna grows well in the gardens of the middle lane.

Appearance

Amaryllis belladonna, or scaly lycoris, as it is also called, is a bulbous plant. In early spring, at the site of planting amaryllis, a dense rosette of leaves first appears, very similar to the leaves of a narcissus. They are quite cold-hardy and withstand slight frosts on the soil. At the beginning of summer, the leaves die off, and in August, flower arrows with the beginnings of inflorescences rapidly grow in their place. They are growing at an incredible rate. Each inflorescence consists of 6-12 flowers with an unusually delicate aroma.

cultivation

Despite its African origin, amaryllis belladonna grows well in the middle lane with a temperate climate. Place to land licorice you need to choose sunny (partial shade is possible). The soil should be fertile, well-drained. Bulbs should be planted to a depth of about 20-25 cm, drainage must be done at the bottom of the hole. I put a handful of sand in the bottom of the planting hole, then arrange the bulb and sprinkle it with sand again. The neck of the bulb, which sometimes reaches 6-10 cm in length, should not protrude above the soil surface.

Amaryllis grows in a group, and such a bunch of flowers on high bare legs looks very impressive. For this feature of flowering, amaryllis belladonna is also called the "naked lily" or "resurrected lily". Flowering of each plant lasts a couple of weeks. The amaryllis peduncle is not hollow, but dense, strong, so it does not need support and a garter.

Bulb pear-shaped annually forms onion-babies. Thanks to this, amaryllis grows rapidly and forms a large family. seating amaryllis can be done every 4-5 years. Landing and transfer times- immediately after the leaves wither or after the end of flowering. But I had to transplant the plants in the spring when they had a lush rosette of leaves. There were no particular difficulties, the plant took root perfectly, even then it bloomed. Although amaryllis is not particularly fond of transplanting, there may not be flowering next year.

For the winter Amaryllis belladonna is recommended shelter dry leaves or pine litter or peat with a layer of about 10-15 cm. Amaryllis has been growing for me for a long time. The first years I did not know that he needed shelter for the winter, and for 10 years I did not shelter him at all. During this time there was not a single case of freezing. But in recent years, I still began to cover the plant coniferous litter.

For all the time of growing amaryllis, no diseases were observed. Of the pests, the plant can damage daffodil fly. To combat it, use the appropriate insecticide.

Amaryllis belladonna can also be grown as an indoor flower. But in the open field, the development and flowering of the plant is more magnificent than in a pot.

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Amaryllis. Hippeastrum. Differences.

Amaryllis is a very rare bulbous plant. It is very rare to meet real amaryllis in the collection of indoor flowers now. Often, flower shops and garden centers sell more spectacular modern hippeastrum hybrids, calling them amaryllis. The name has taken root, and we have no time to understand the intricacies of this classification. However, when growing hippeastrum or amaryllis, questions may arise. Help to find answers to them and knowledge of the characteristics of each of these plants will help. Amaryllis and hippeastrum are indeed very similar plants. But the ability of some to grow in open ground and the exceptional demands on room conditions of others served as one of the reasons that in the modern classification of plants, some types of amaryllis were separated into a separate genus hippeastrum. There are other differences between representatives of these two genera. For example, in amaryllis, daughter bulbs are formed regularly, unlike hippeastrum. And the gray scales of the amaryllis bulb have pubescence inside and are difficult to break. Hippeastrum scales have white bulbs and break very easily. In addition, many amaryllis bloom in a leafless state. They have a dense peduncle, while the hippeastrum has a hollow one. Amaryllis flowers are somewhat smaller in size than hippeastrum flowers, but often there are more of them in the inflorescence than those of hippeastrum. The main thing that is important for amateur flower growers to know is that these two plants have different periods of vegetation, flowering and dormancy, from which different periods of certain measures for their care follow. These plants are grown in almost the same way and the requirements are similar and simple. But let's get acquainted closer with amaryllis, a plant whose beauty of a flower cannot leave anyone indifferent.

Amaryllis belladonna. Description.

The genus Amaryllis belongs to the Amaryllis family and consists of a single species of Amaryllis belladonna, or Amaryllis belladonna. Amaryllis belladonna is a perennial bulbous plant. The average diameter of a rounded spindle-shaped bulb reaches 6 cm (there are varieties with a bulb up to 20 cm). The bulb is covered with dry gray scales. Up to 4 children are formed annually in the sinuses of the outer scales. During the dormant period during amaryllis transplantation, they are separated along with roots for propagation. The beautiful name amaryllis matches the beauty of this flower. On a thick, dense, leafless peduncle up to 80 cm high, large inflorescences resembling lily flowers of white, pale pink and hot pink flowers majestically flaunt. Their flowering lasts several weeks and depends on the number of buds in the inflorescence. Amaryllis flowers are funnel-shaped, 6-10 cm in diameter, with six petals arranged in two circles. They have 6 stamens and a filamentous pistil. The umbellate inflorescence can contain from 2 to 12 flowers. Often, amaryllis flowers have a pleasant fragrant aroma reminiscent of the smell of hyacinth. On one amaryllis plant, there are about 15 belt-like, opposite, green leaves. Their length can reach 50 cm, and their width is 3 cm. After the death of the leaves, the amaryllis begins a dormant period that lasts about 3 months. After a dormant period, the plant begins to grow leaves again, and its only inflorescence is laid. In places of natural growth, amaryllis blooms in May. In our latitudes, the dormant period of amaryllis falls at the end of spring - the beginning of summer, while flowering occurs in August-September.

Amaryllis belladonna, or Amaryllis beauty (Amaryllis belladonna) belongs to the Amaryllis family, is the only representative of the family. Russian and Latin name: belladonna testifies to beauty, means "beautiful woman". The bulbous plant is native to the hot regions of South Africa. Amaryllis bulbs reach 5-10 cm in diameter. Narrow, intensely green, long leaves up to 50 cm long and up to 3 cm wide grow from the bulb. The leaves appear after the amaryllis blooms in autumn and remain on the plant until the next spring.

cultivation

Cultivation of amaryllis begins with the acquisition of bulbs, should be even, without mechanical damage and obvious signs of disease. Rotten spots, mildew or ugly spots are not signs of healthy bulbs and should be avoided.

The bulbs should be planted with the top just below the soil surface. If you plant amaryllis deep into the soil, after a while the bulb will deepen even 20 cm! When growing at home, a capacity slightly larger than the diameter of the bulb is selected.

The substrate for growing should be permeable, rich in humus. The flower should be planted immediately after purchase. A good solution is to add a multi-component fertilizer with a long-term effect, which gradually releases nutrients.

Amaryllis is a popular indoor plant that can be grown outdoors. Regardless of the method of cultivation, requires a sunny place, without direct sunlight. The bulb will tolerate temperatures as low as -5°C and should not be left in the soil over the winter. Before the onset of cold weather, it is necessary to transfer the plant to a warm room.

After the end of the season, around the end of September, stop watering and let the leaves and flowers dry, then remove. Then the plant enters a dormant period and sets flower buds. The bulb can be removed from the soil and left in a cool place at 15°C for up to 6 weeks. Proper cultivation of plants in the near future will delight with their flowers.

The stems of the inflorescence are naked, leafless, rigid, straight and round in cross section. Usually 1-2 shoots grow from one bulb, crowned with flowers. Buds, as a rule, 6-8 (sometimes 12). At the time of flowering, a gentle, pleasant smell hovers in the air. Flowers 6-10 cm long and 8-10 cm in diameter, collected in an umbrella, grow on purple petioles. Before flowering in the summer you need a bright place.

Amaryllis are quite resistant perennials, if the bulbs stay too long in moist soil, they are in danger of rotting. To prevent rotting, reliable drainage should be placed at the bottom of the pot, in the form of expanded clay or beaten pieces of old clay pots.

Large bulbs produce small adventitious bulbs which, when divided and planted in individual pots, will produce new plants in the spring. The best time to separate the babies is the period during which the plant remains dormant, in the summer. Before the small bulbs grow and bloom, it will take an average of 3 years. Can be grown from seeds, you need to leave an inflorescence to get seeds. Seed development will weaken bulb growth.

Varieties

• "Bill Richardson" - a variety with pure white flowers;
• "Ian Black" - a variety with light pink flowers;
• 'Johannesburg' - bright pink flowers with a light center. Peduncle grows up to 70 cm tall;
• "Karl King" - pale pink flowers with a yellow center and corrugated edges of the petals;
• "Kimberley" - red-pink flowers with a white center;
• "Michael Vassar" - the variety develops dark red or white flowers with a yellow center;
• 'Stellenbosch' is a cultivar with pink flowers with a yellow centre.

Amaryllis is often confused with Hippeastrum, which originates from South America. Both plants have a similar development path, differ in some details - amaryllis has a non-hollow peduncle (in hippeastrum - hollow), forms more flowers of a smaller diameter (hippeastrum - usually 3-5 in diameter 15-30 cm), which, unlike the smell of Hippeastrum, are pleasant smell. Amaryllis blooms in late summer, hippeastrum in spring.

The second species that can be confused with Amaryllis is Vallota. Vallota, a relative of amaryllis, unlike amaryllis, does not shed leaves during its dormant period.