General information about amaryllis
Amaryllis or hippeastrum is a perennial indoor bulbous culture. The homeland of this flower is South America. In the 16th century, hippeastrum was brought to Western Europe. The culture became widespread in horticulture after the appearance of the first hybrid in 1799 - Johnson's hippeastrum.
Hippeastrum has a rounded or slightly conical tunicate bulb, from 5 to cm in diameter. The bulb consists of several closed scales and a shortened thick stem. The outer layer of the bulb is dark, old scales. At the bottom of the bulb are cord-like roots.
As the bulb develops, linear, grooved leaves up to 70 cm long and 3 to 5 cm wide emerge from the bulb. In some varieties, they are red in color.
The bulb forms one or 2 peduncles 40 to 70 cm high. The peduncle is in the form of a hollow cylinder.
At the top of the peduncle is an umbellate inflorescence with 2-5 flowers. The flowers are tubular or most often funnel-shaped, up to 15 cm long and 15-25 cm in diameter. After flowering, a fruit is formed in place of the flower - a ball-shaped box. Up to 100 seeds are formed in the box.
Choosing a pot
For planting amaryllis, use plastic or ceramic pots with a tray. The size of the pot is chosen depending on the size of the bulb. Ideally, there should be about 2 cm from the edge of the bulb to the edge of the pot. The bulb should rise 2/3 of the way above the substrate. When planting, carefully spread the roots.
Soil for planting
Various mixtures are used for planting amaryllis. For example, you can use the following:
- 2 parts sand + 1 part humus + 2 parts leafy soil;
- garden soil, sand, washed coconut substrate, perlite in equal proportions;
- 3 parts garden soil + 1 part humus.
Also, place drainage in the bottom of the pot. The best drainage is sphagnum moss, as the roots will receive enough air as they grow.
Lighting.
Immediately after planting the bulb, place the pots with amaryllis on a windowsill with bright lighting. Also avoid exposing the bulb to drafts.
Humidity.
The optimal humidity level for amaryllis is 80%. If the indicator is higher, the plant will be vulnerable to the development of fungal diseases.
Features of the temperature regime for amaryllis
To form ideal peduncles during the day, the temperature in the room with the pot should be in the range of 19-22 degrees Celsius, and at night - 17-18 degrees.
At temperatures below 6 degrees, the peduncle will be damaged.
Watering amaryllis
Amaryllis should be watered exclusively in the pan of the pot so that the bulbs do not rot. In extreme cases, you can add soil along the edge of the bulb. But do not allow water to get on the surface of the bulb. Drying out of the soil mixture is also undesirable.
Classification of amaryllis
At the moment, the most popular and sought-after classification of amaryllis is the one approved in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It takes into account the size and double of the flowers.
According to it, the following groups are distinguished:
- Galaxy Group - varieties with flowers over 15 cm in diameter;
- Diamond Group - varieties with an average flower size;
- Colibri Group - small-flowered hippeastrum;
- Double Diamond Group - varieties with double flowers of medium diameter;
- Spider Group - spider-like flowers;
- Double Colibri Group - double amaryllis with small flowers;
- Butterfly Group - with orchid-like flowers;
- Trumpet Group - hybrids with tube-shaped flowers.
- Double Galaxy Group - have large double flowers;
How to grow amaryllis flowers indoors?
Next, we will tell you how to choose the right pot, lighting, soil, and temperature to form perfect flowers and peduncles.