Hemanthus care at home. Hemanthus care at home, varieties of hemanthus with photos and descriptions

Caring for hemanthus at home is of interest to those gardeners who decide to grow this unusual flower at home. It differs from other representatives of the flora in its special flowering.

Hemanthus flower - home care

In appearance, the hemanthus flower is a plant with long, thick leaves that change every two years. Along with the leaves, the flowers change too.

The flowers are located at a height of about 25-35 centimeters above the foliage. They look like umbrellas that are put together. The stamen of each flower is longer than the petals, so it protrudes forward, and at the end there is an anther.

The anther always has a different color, not similar to the color of the flower itself, so the flower has an interesting shade, as if covered with haze.

The second name of hemanthus is more famous among flora lovers. “Deer tongue” is what people call it. Often people grow this flower and do not even suspect that they have an exotic plant growing in their house.

Representative of plants from the family amaryllis, its name translates to “blood flower,” although there are hemanthus with white and white-yellow flowers.

This variety with white flowers is the most common. Its popularity is largely due to the fact that it blooms all year round, while others do not bloom in winter, but are dormant.

A little about plant types

The varieties of hemanthus are very diverse, they differ in flowers, but each type is beautiful in its own way.

1. White-flowered hemanthus. The most common and popular type of plant. It is good because it can be used as decor for a long time. Produces about five flowers, which have beautiful white petals combined with anthers yellow color. After the flowers fall, bright berries grow on the plant. orange color. Gemanthus is in this state for a long time, at the same time it looks attractive and perfectly complements the decor.

2. Garnet hemanthus. This variety is native to the southern part of America. The plant has a peculiar leaf shape: narrow at the bottom and wavy along the edge. Light green color The leaves go well with the yellow-red flowers, which are surrounded by additional purple petals.

3. Hemanthus catarina. This variety of flower came to us from Africa. It differs from other species by its spotted stem. The flower blooms well throughout the summer and has red petals with orange anthers. A special feature of this variety is the large size of the flower, about 25 cm in diameter.

4. Multiflorous hemanthus. This variety came from the tropics, so it is different lush foliage: about six - seven large leaves reach thirty centimeters. The flower is also quite tall, can reach 80 cm in length. The pronounced color of the petals with even brighter anthers attracts the attention of everyone who is near this exotic plant.

5. Tiger hemanthus. The African continent is also considered the homeland of this species. It has beautiful elongated leaves with reddish spots. There is a fringe along the edges of the leaves. The flower is also red in color, but its shape is slightly flattened, and small spots can be seen all over the base, which gave rise to the name of the plant.

Caring for hemanthus at home

Caring for a hemanthus flower does not require special skills in plant breeding. It is quite unpretentious and, being indoors, develops well and pleases its owners with flowers. You just need to follow some care recommendations.

The plant prefers to be in a well-lit place. In this case, it is better to avoid direct sunlight. Those varieties that bloom all year round do not require much light, but they still cannot be placed in complete shade.

The room temperature is suitable for hemanthus, and the flower grows without causing any trouble. But it is better if the owners adhere to a temperature regime of around eighteen to twenty degrees Celsius. Winter temperatures should not be lower than twelve degrees.

Plants that go dormant in winter require a little more attention. From mid-autumn to mid-winter they rest. This means that from the very beginning of autumn you need to reduce watering the plant. In this case, the leaves will slowly dry out, and they must be removed as they dry.

IN winter period Flower bulbs should be kept in moist soil in a place where there is not much light. The air temperature should be from 12 to 15°C. In the middle of winter, the flower must be moved to a bright place, replanted in new soil, or the top layer of soil must be replaced, and watering must begin in the standard mode.

As for watering, summer period The plant needs to be watered a lot and often. When excess water flows into the stand, it is drained. It is necessary to water as soon as the soil dries a centimeter deep. But if the soil dries out a little, and you hesitate with watering, the plant will not die, but will endure a short respite without watering calmly. The flower does not need to be sprayed.

Transplantation and propagation of hemanthus

Hemanthus is transplanted in early spring. Experts recommend replanting the plant every three years.

This is done very simply:

1. For planting, it is best to choose a shallow, wide pot.
2. Place at the bottom of the pot drainage layer so that the plant is comfortable.
3. We prepare the ground. It is recommended to make it from a mixture of turf, peat, fine sand and deciduous soil. The consistency of the soil should be light and well permeable to air. It is allowed to add humus.
4. We place the bulbs in the ground so that half or a quarter of it remains above the ground.
5. We water the flower and enjoy its growth.

Hemanthus propagation occurs in three ways:

• Bulbs,
• cuttings,
• seeds.

When propagated using bulbs, the flower begins to bloom only after five years. With the seed method, it is important to sow the seeds immediately, otherwise they will lose the ability to grow a new plant. In this case, it is necessary to sow on the very surface of the earth, otherwise the seeds will not be able to break through.

We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the materials on the site Epistomy care at home, This is also a very beautiful and unpretentious flowering plant.

To propagate a flower using cuttings, you need to cut off the top of the leaf and dry it for five to six hours. It is also recommended to treat the cut with charcoal. After drying, you need to dig the cutting into the ground. Usually cuttings take root very quickly and produce a new plant.

Plant nutrition and diseases

Both mineral and organic fertilizers are excellent for feeding the plant. Purchase special fertilizer at any store that sells plant care products.

As for pests, they rarely attack a flower like hemanthus. However, sometimes the plant can suffer from fungus, red blight or spider mites.

To save the plant, you need to treat the flower special means depending on the type of problem. For example, to kill a mite, you need to carefully wash the entire plant warm water under gentle pressure. In this case, you need to cover the ground so as to avoid excessive moisture.

If a warm shower does not help, treat the flower with Fitoverm or Actellik. The plant may also suffer from rotting of the bulb, but this only affects those who do not properly care for the flower.

Hemanthus or scadoxus?

This question worries those flower growers who know that experts have recently divided the genus of hemanthus into two species: “hemanthus” and “scadoxus”.

The differences between these two types are as follows:

• Scadoxus has a false stem, unlike Hemanthus;
• hemanthus has a sessile type of leaves, and scadoxus has a petiolate one;
• the leaves of hemanthus are located one above the other, and those of scadoxus are arranged in a spiral;
• hemanthus has a fleshy leaf plate, and scadoxus has a leathery one;
• Scadoxus leaves have wavy edges.

But these features are of interest only to zealous gardeners. The majority of the population is only interested in the flower itself, its beauty and how to preserve this beauty longer.

It happens that an amateur florist looks after and cares for a flower without even knowing its exact name. And this is very bad, because each specific plant must have its own conditions.

For the first time, the description of the flower was made by Carl Linnaeus himself. This happened in 1753. Translated, hemanthus means “ bloody flower" But among all the species of such a plant you can find various colors. For example, many flower growers are very fond of white-flowered hemanthus (popularly called deer tongue). Evergreen species are more suitable for growing at home; they are considered more stable.

The nature of the flower is such that it does not require special maintenance; it can grow perfectly indoors.

Location and lighting

Here you need to approach it with all responsibility, because almost all types of such plants need bright light, and not direct, but diffused. They usually have a clearly defined dormant period through the loss of leaves. At this time, it is better to place the flower where there is less light and not so warm. Hemanthuses, which are classified as evergreens, can be kept in a shaded place.

Temperature

Here, the usual room temperature of +18-22 degrees is quite acceptable, at which the plant grows and blooms well. But during the plant’s dormant period, the temperature must be reduced to +10-15 degrees.

It is worth remembering that even very hardy flowers cannot cope with sudden changes in temperature. This must be taken into account if purchasing a plant in winter. As you know, with the help of various stimulants in flower shops, plants do not have a dormant state, although this is very bad for flowers. What if the green beauty even freezes while they take him to his destination. So, unless necessary, it is better not to experiment and not to buy plants in winter, only if the flower will be warm upon delivery.

Watering

Hemanthus can do just fine without spraying and, accordingly, the percentage of air humidity in the room where it is located does not bother it. During its active growth (spring-summer period), watering should be plentiful as soon as the first layer of soil dries out. As soon as the plant reaches a state of dormancy, the leaves begin to turn yellow, watering should be reduced as much as possible and not moistened at all for two months.

Air humidity

Hemanthus has no special requirements for indoor air humidity. It does not need regular spraying.

Feeding and fertilizers

A characteristic difference between hemanthus in terms of feeding is that organic matter is undesirable for it. Mineral fertilizers with increased potassium and phosphorus are perfect for it.

Transfer

healthy root system, successful growth and flowering will provide the hemanthus with good drainage. The plant may begin to rot if there is a lot of moisture or if it stagnates. Flower soil can be purchased at a special store, but you can also make it yourself. Optimal composition of the soil mixture:

• 2 pieces of turf
• 1 part leaf soil
• 1 part sand and peat each
• 0.5 parts humus

The plant can be replanted after 2-3 years of growth, or based on the size of the bulb. Most of the amaryllis brethren prefer cramped pots, but hemanthus prefers a spacious container. It is advisable that when planting the bulb there is 3-5 cm from it to the edges. And there is no need to completely deepen the bulb.

Trimming

Everything is very simple here - only dry leaves are removed.

Reproduction of hemanthus

The plant propagates in several ways - by seeds, leaf cuttings and daughter bulbs. It is not difficult to obtain new offspring of hemanthus.

Reproduction of hemanthus by daughter bulbs

Young bulbs are formed next to the main bulb. They are separated and planted in prepared pots. In 3-4 years the hemanthus will bloom.

Propagation of hemanthus by seeds

You can safely resort to the method of propagation by seeds, for example, Kaffir lily (clivia). When propagating hemanthus by seeds, preference should be given to freshly harvested ones, as they quickly lose their germination capacity.

Propagation of hemanthus by leaf cuttings

When propagating by leaf cuttings, separate the outer leaf with a fleshy base, which is attached to the bottom, treating the cut site with charcoal. The dried leaf must be planted in a substrate made of a mixture of peat and sand. After a while, small bulbs will appear at the base. Having separated them, they are planted and grown further.

Diseases and pests

The greatest danger to the plant is the red spider mite. If the room temperature is high, they will multiply very quickly. To avoid problems, hemanthus must be inspected regularly. Scale insects hide under the leaves and suck out the sap of the plant. As a result, the leaves dry out and fall off. You can get rid of these pests with a soft brush. Rogor and karbofos will help in the fight against insects.

The red spider mite, entangling the leaves of the plant, multiplies very quickly. Because of it, the leaves become covered with brown spots, turn yellow, and then dry out. The leaves of the infected hemanthus are washed with warm water and then treated with insecticides.

And they can cause deformation of the aboveground part of the plant. Necrotic spots on the leaves indicate damage. If the hemanthus bulb rots, the plant cannot be saved.

Hemanthus - perennial, which belongs to the amaryllis family. The plant's natural habitat is the tropical regions of South Africa. Hemanthus care at home is not at all difficult, as it is unpretentious. The flower is not very popular among beginner gardeners, although it can be grown in an apartment without much effort.

Kinds

There are more than 40 varieties of hemanthus. The most popular types are:

1. Hemanthus Belotsvetkovy - this type of flower is the most common at home. The plant has large, light, snow-white inflorescences. The leaves are bright green, fleshy, 40 cm long. Flowering occurs at the end of summer (August) and ends in mid-winter (January).
2. Hemanthus Multiflorum - This plant has a long peduncle and also has 5 large leaves. The inflorescence resembles an umbrella in appearance, which consists of 60-80 red flowers.
3. Hemanthus (scadoxus) Catarina - this species is also quite often grown in an apartment, like the White-flowered one. The flower has a thick stem with narrow leaves at the top. At proper care flowering begins in mid-summer. The plant blooms with red flowers.
4. Hemanthus Tiger - the plant has wide and elongated leaves. The inflorescence is not big size, flowers of a red hue.

Rules of care

Hemanthus is popularly called bloody flower or deer tongue. Caring for a bloody flower is easy, as it is not demanding in terms of conditions.

Location and lighting

Since the homeland of hemanthus is the tropical forests of Africa, the plant needs bright light, and the light should be diffused. The flower pot must be removed from direct sunlight, otherwise it may negatively affect further growth.

When hemanthus sheds its leaves, this indicates that the plant is entering a dormant period. At this time, the plant is transferred to a cool room where there is little light. Hemanthuses are not difficult to care for, so they can be grown in shaded areas.

Temperature

The flower blooms magnificently and develops at room temperature, which is 18 - 22 degrees. During rest temperature regime reduced to 10 - 15 °C. In summer it is recommended to take the plant outside Fresh air(balcony or street).

In addition, it is necessary to prevent sudden changes in temperature, otherwise it will affect the growth of the hemanthus.

Irrigation mode and air humidity

IN active period When growing, the plant is watered abundantly when the top layer of soil dries. It is necessary to control the amount of watering to avoid waterlogging of the soil, because this can lead to rotting of the bulb.

With the onset of the dormant period, the amount of watering is reduced. There is no need to moisten the flower for two months. For the plant, air humidity does not matter at all, therefore, you should not spray it regularly.

Once every three months, wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or rag to remove dust.

Fertilizers

Hemanthus, it is not advisable to feed organic fertilizers. It is optimal to fertilize it exclusively mineral supplements, which contain phosphorus and potassium.

Fertilizers are applied once every 3 weeks, before flowering begins. There is no need to fertilize the plant during hibernation.

Transfer

The hemanthus flower is transplanted before intensive growth begins. Young plants should be replanted every year, adult flowers - once every three years. Before transplanting, care should be taken to ensure drainage. Because if it doesn't good drainage, then water may stagnate at the bottom of the pot, and this will lead to rotting of the root system.

Plant substrate can be purchased at a flower kiosk or store. But if you don’t want to buy soil, then soil mixture you can cook it yourself. The composition of the substrate consists of the following components:

1. Turf land - 2.
2. Leaf soil - 1.
3. Peat and sand - 1 part each.
4. Humus - 1.

Transplantation is carried out by transshipment without disturbing the earthen lump. Handling must be done carefully so as not to damage the root system. A pot for the plant is selected in a spacious tank, its size is slightly larger than the previous one. When planting, the bulb does not need to be deepened too much, only 1-2 cm.

Reproduction

The flower is propagated in several ways:

• using leaf cuttings;
• by seed method;
• daughter bulbs.

Cuttings

The cutting propagation method is considered a labor-intensive process. With this propagation method, the fleshiest leaf is separated from the adult flower. The affected area is treated with crushed activated carbon. Then the leaf is dried for several days. Afterwards it is planted in a substrate consisting of sand and peat so that the leaf takes root well.

After some time, young bulbs will appear. They need to be separated from the base and planted in separate containers. You need to care for the bulbs correctly to get beautiful flowers. Blooms indoor flower After 4 years.

Seed propagation method

Seeds must be collected immediately after flower formation. This way they will not lose their viability. Seeds are sown in moist soil. With proper care of the seeds, you will get beautiful flowers.

Reproduction by daughter bulbs

This method is the simplest. Young bulbs appear near the main bulb. They are separated and then planted in separate flowerpots. Hemanthus blooms after 3-4 years.

Diseases and pests

The scale insect usually hides under the leaves, sucking the juice of the flower. This causes the leaves to dry out and fall off. A soft brush will help remove insects. As well as special insecticides such as Karbofos and Rogor.

Spider mites can be detected by white webs on the leaves. If a pest has infected your flower, then brown spots form on its leaves, then they turn yellow and then dry out.

If infected, the leaves are washed with warm water and then insecticides are applied.

In addition to pests, the plant can also be affected by diseases. Bulb rotting occurs due to excess moisture. Fungal diseases may also occur. Affected leaves are removed and treated with insecticides. At the same time, the plant is watered moderately and provided with good light.

If you water the hemanthus with hard water, a gray coating may appear on the leaves.

Yellow leaves are caused by excess sunlight.

If a plant does not bloom for a long time, this is due to insufficient watering or high temperatures in winter.

Caring for hemanthus at home is not difficult, only if you follow some rules.

Features of caring for gardenia at home Features of caring for pachira at home

The Hemanthus flower is a not particularly whimsical plant belonging to the huge Amaryllis family. It was first described in the middle XVIII century Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus. At the end of the 20th century, an independent genus was created from the above family.

The scientific name of the crop, translated from ancient Greek, means “bloody flower” (haemo - blood, anthos - flower) due to the blood-red coloring of the inflorescences. Natural environment This genus grows exclusively in tropical regions of South Africa. It is noteworthy that some varieties even in winter time don't stop growing.

In common parlance it has several names: “deer tongue”, “elephant ear”, which is associated with its specific appearance. Visually it looks modest, but non-standard. The plant is valued not for its beauty, but for its medicinal properties.

Description

Hemanthus is a perennial bulbous evergreen crop with fancy flowering. Each bulb produces a pair of leaves that are arranged symmetrically. Each one is bent outward and has an elongated, wide shape with a classic rounded edge. Depending on the variety, leaf characteristics may vary. Some of them have a rich glossy surface, others have a pubescent surface, others have a sticky surface, and others have a rough surface. Every year the bottom two sheets are updated.

The shoots of the plant are flower-bearing arrows up to 60 cm, at the end of which there are bright umbrella-type inflorescences, surrounded by four snow-white or red oval-shaped bracts. The umbrellas fold up and contain a large number of small red, orange and white flowers. The “fluffy” effect is given by stamens in the form of a thread in the amount of six pieces, which are located slightly higher. They are a structure with a long anther of different colors. The pistil is thread-like with a stigma divided into three parts.

Gemanthus bloom from mid-July to last days November. During the dynamic release of pollen and nectar, the inflorescences emit a not very pleasant odor.

As a result of self-pollination, round berries with a diameter of one to two centimeters appear, having a variety of color scheme from white to red. Seeds ripen in them and quickly lose their viability.

Variety of Hemanthuses

The variety of varieties of this crop is amazing.

Each is beautiful in its own way, but the most famous are:

• Haemanthus multiflorus (multiflorous). Distinctive features: very lush large leaves (up to thirty centimeters); a fairly high peduncle (up to eighty centimeters) and a large inflorescence, reminiscent of a dandelion and consisting of up to 90 deep red flowers.
• Haemanthus tigrinus (tiger) It has a wide elongated leaf part, “fringed” along the edge and brown-reddish spotting. The leaf length reaches forty-five centimeters. Peduncles are short (less than fifteen centimeters). The inflorescences are rounded, small, bright red, slightly flattened in shape.
• Haemanthus cinnabarinus (cinnabar). The plant has two or four long oval-shaped leaves (sometimes they are underdeveloped), a high peduncle and a “ball” with a diameter of 8 to 10 centimeters (with cinnabar-red flowers and stamens). This variety blooms earlier than others (in the first ten days of April).
• Haemanthus lindenii (Linden) known as a variety garden culture with a multi-flowered voluminous inflorescence and three pairs of wide long sheets. On their surface there are spectacular folds (longitudinal) along the midrib. The shoot grows almost 50 cm. The inflorescences are slightly less than 20 cm in diameter.
• Haemanthus coccineus(scarlet) It has two long, wide leaves, the ends of which are red in color. The peduncle is oblong with spots. The inflorescence is quite dense, umbrella-shaped, with reddish flowers. The variety blooms once every few years for a short time and only in the autumn.
• Haemanthus puniceus (pomegranate). The leathery and wavy leaves are rather narrow and have light green shade. The flower is dark red with additional purple-purple petals.
• Haemanthus albiflos (white-flowered). The most widely known variety indoor culture, blooming from autumn to mid-winter. Evergreen and highly decorative. The foliage is tongue-shaped with a glossy dark green surface and pubescent along the edges, reaching a length of twenty centimeters and a width of ten. The peduncles are powerful, drooping (up to 25 centimeters) crowned with dense balls of umbrella inflorescence. The plant has snow-white flowers, white and green leaves, as well as long white stamens with golden anthers. This variety nicknamed “deer tongue” and this nickname eventually spread to all hemanthuses.
• Haemanthus Katherinae (Katherinae). Along with white-flowered, it is known in home floriculture. The stem is thick and spotted. The leaves are narrow, wavy at the edges, about forty centimeters long. The peculiarity of the variety is that the flower diameter is about 25 cm. The anthers are orange. Bright red flowering occurs in the third decade of July. In late autumn - early winter it may shed its leaves.

Hemanthus: home care

Despite the unpretentiousness of this plant, some effort should still be made to care for it.

Temperature

During the active season, the “deer tongue” perfectly adapts to standard room conditions. Ideal temperature for growing from +18 C0 to +22 C0. However, in winter it is recommended to create cooler conditions (+10 C0 - +12 C0). Haemanthus albiflos does not have a rest period and therefore there is no need to lower the temperature for it. In summer it is allowed to take it out into the fresh air (balcony, garden, terrace).

Lighting

Hemanthuses are demanding on lighting. They love light, but cannot tolerate direct exposure sun rays, which contribute to the appearance of burns on the surface of the leaf, its whitening and even death. Therefore, in enough hot weather they should be shaded. Flower pots It is recommended to place it on windows on the east or west side of the house. During dormancy, the bulbs should be moved to a dark place.

Watering and air humidity

The plant does not require frequent watering and spraying. It grows well even in dry soil conditions. Watering is carried out at the root, as soon as the soil becomes dry, with soft, chlorine-free water. In autumn it is reduced until it stops. Overmoistening is unacceptable as it leads to rotting of the root part. Once every two months, wipe the leaf part from dust with a soft cloth.

Feeding and fertilizers

Until flowering, fertilizers are applied once every fifteen to twenty days. Mineral and organic based fertilizers, which are sold in any specialized store, are excellent as fertilizers.

There are two time periods during which the flower is not fertilized:

• - after the end of flowering until the beginning of growth in the spring.
• - at the moment of growth of the stem until it reaches ten centimeters.

Pruning involves removing dried old leaves and flower stalks.

Features of planting and propagation

Transplantation is carried out as the onion grows. This usually occurs every two to four years (during dormancy or in early spring). The top layer of soil is regularly updated. The plant should be replanted carefully.

For planting, choose a shallow but wide pot. A layer of drainage is placed at the bottom and covered with prepared nutrient soil for amaryllis plants. When placing a bulb in the ground, it is important not to bury it more than two-thirds.

There are three ways to breed Hemanthus:

1. Seeds that are collected immediately after ripening, before they lose their germination capacity. Sow on moist soil. With this method, flowering can occur after five years.

2. Children appearing on the mother's bulb. The shoots take root well and are pleasing beautiful color in just three years.

3. By cuttings. This is the most labor-intensive method of reproduction. In an adult plant, one of the lower leaves is cut off. The cut must be sprinkled with activated or charcoal. The cutting is then dried for 24 hours. Only after this is it planted in a separate container with a peat mixture and sand. Water moderately. Flowering will occur in the third or fourth year.

It must be remembered that when large quantities soil in a container - flowering may not occur.

Diseases and pests

Indoor “deer tongue” is rarely confirmed to be attacked by pests. However, if you do not follow the simplest rules for its care, you will need to tinker with the treatment of diseases.

At constant elevated air temperatures, spider mites and scale insects can develop. To get rid of these insects, you should thoroughly wash the leaves and treat them with an insecticidal preparation (for example, karbofos, actellik).

Non-compliance correct mode Watering promotes rotting of the bulb and the appearance of gray rot.

When this disease occurs, the diseased flower is removed, since fungicidal treatments generally do not give the desired effect.

Some symptoms are not the source of the disease. Yellow foliage may indicate that the flower is getting too much light. Light gray plaque mainly indicates the loss of calcium salts. The reason for the lack of color is considered to be insufficient watering, as well as elevated temperatures during the dormant period. The same factors affect the delay in foliage growth.

• Bloom: in July-August.
• Lighting: bright sunlight, bright diffused light, partial shade.
• Temperature: 18-22 ºC.
• Watering: during active growth - as the soil dries out, and during the dormant period, watering is not needed.
• Air humidity: doesn't matter.
• Feeding: during the period of active growth - 1 time every 2-3 weeks with complex mineral fertilizers for bulbous During the dormant period, fertilizers are not applied.
• Rest period: from October to February.
• Transfer: at the end of February or beginning of March once every 4-5 years
• Reproduction: seeds, leaf cuttings, daughter bulbs.
• Diseases: staganosporosis, root rot.
• Pests: spider mites, scale insects.
• Properties: The plant's bulbs are poisonous.

Read more about growing hemanthus below.

Hemanthus flower - description

Hemanthus white-flowered is an evergreen plant, and this distinguishes it from other amaryllis plants: the plant does not stop growing and does not lose its attractiveness even in winter. Other types of hemanthus prefer to rest in winter.

The bulbs of hemanthus are pear-shaped or ovoid, sometimes flattened on the sides, with a diameter of up to 12 cm. The few fleshy green leaves have a belt-like shape and rounded ends. Both the leaves and powerful peduncles of hemanthus reach a length of 20 cm. Each bulb forms up to three pairs of leaves, and only one pair is formed in one season. The surface of the leaves may be glossy, hairy, or sticky to the touch. The leaves are arranged in pairs and hang symmetrically.

In the photo: Growing hemanthus at home

It is interesting that the hemanthus flower is not, in fact, a flower: it is a spherical bunch of stamens with yellow anthers collected in an umbrella. The stamens are surrounded by four succulent bracts of the same color as the stamens - red, orange or white. The color of the stamens and stipules is determined by the variety and type of hemanthus.

These appear unusual flowers, similar to openwork pompoms, in the middle of summer. Flowering lasts until late autumn. Characteristic of hemanthus is bad smell, appearing when the plant secretes pollen and nectar: ​​hemanthus self-pollinates and forms an ovary in the form of round white-red berries with a diameter of 1-2 cm, which quickly lose their viability.

How to care for hemanthus in an apartment

The hemanthus plant has an easy-going nature, so problems rarely arise in its cultivation. Amateur flower growers claim that caring for this plant is similar to caring for succulents. Gemanthus is comfortable in the usual environment human habitation temperature – 18-22 ˚C.

In winter, evergreen species of hemanthus do not need to change their housing conditions, since these plants do not enter the dormant period. Deciduous species and varieties prefer to rest in winter in cooler conditions - at a temperature of 10-12 ˚C.

Hemanthus enjoys spending his summer holidays on outdoors, however, it is necessary to organize protection from drafts for it.

The indoor hemanthus flower also does not have any special requirements for lighting: it can grow both in partial shade and in bright sun. An ideal place for a flower to be placed near windows oriented to the west, east and northeast. You can also grow it on a southern windowsill, but in the afternoon it will need to be shaded from direct rays.

Watering hemanthus

Water the hemanthus at home as the soil dries, avoiding waterlogging, as this can lead to rotting of the bulb. As winter approaches, watering is gradually reduced, and by the beginning of the dormant period, which lasts 1-2 months, moistening of the substrate is stopped completely. Watering is carried out with melted water, passed through a filter or settled water room temperature. Hemanthus has enough air humidity that is normal for a living room, so there is no need to spray the plant, just wipe its leaves from dust with a damp cloth from time to time.

Hemanthus fertilizer

Fertilize hemanthus exclusively mineral complexes, because this plant does not like organic matter. The potassium and phosphorus components should predominate in the complex. Fertilizers suitable for hemanthus bulbous plants. The frequency of fertilizing is once every 2-3 weeks. Fertilize the plant from the beginning of active growth until the beginning of flowering. During the dormant period, the plant does not need fertilizing.

Hemanthus transplant

An adult hemanthus is transplanted once every 4-5 years, while simultaneously separating the resulting children from the mother bulb. It's better to replant the plant at the end of February or beginning of March: at this time active growth begins and the hemanthus quickly takes root.

The soil mixture is made up of equal parts of leaf soil, turf humus and sand, and it is advisable to take a pot that is wide and not very deep.

When replanting, do not forget to place a decent layer of drainage material at the bottom of the pot to protect the hemanthus roots from stagnant water. When planting, the bulb should be buried only a third, since hemanthus does not like to sit deep in the ground. To achieve a greater decorative effect, you can plant several bulbs in one pot.

Reproduction of hemanthus

Hemanthus propagates by seeds, pups and leaf cuttings. The easiest way when transplanting is to separate the children from the bulb and plant them as independent plants. However, the babies must have roots and leaves. The bulbs take root well, and after 3-4 years you will already be able to see the hemanthus blooming.

Getting a new plant from leaf cuttings- a more labor-intensive process, but no less interesting. One of the lower leaves with a fleshy base. The cut area must be treated with charcoal powder and allowed to air dry for 24 hours. Plant the leaf for rooting in a mixture of peat and sand and keep it warm with moderate watering. When the cuttings grow roots, they are planted in a substrate for an adult plant. Flowering will occur in 3-4 years.

In the photo: Hemanthus leaves

Seed propagation for growing hemanthus at home is rarely used because the seeds lose their viability very quickly. But if you manage to collect them on time, immediately sow them on the surface of moist soil without digging, place the crops under glass and wait for germination, then in 5-6 years you will be able to see hemanthus bloom from seeds.

Pests and diseases of hemanthus

Hemanthus diseases and their treatment

Gemanthus rarely gets sick and mainly from improper care. For example, due to excessive or too frequent watering, the plant may begin to rot the bulb or other fungal diseases. Sometimes a red burn or red rot can occur with hemanthus - staganosporosis, which mainly affects amaryllis and hippeastrum.

If signs of the disease appear - red-orange spots and stripes on the leaves - remove the affected organs and treat the plant with special preparations that can be purchased at a flower shop: Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride, copper sulfate or other copper-containing compounds that are used to destroy fungal infections .

Provide hemanthus good lighting and develop a watering regime in which the plant will receive enough moisture, but will not suffer from its excess.

In the photo: Hemanthus inflorescence

Sometimes hemanthus conditions that are not associated with any disease cause concern. For example, why doesn’t hemanthus bloom? The reason for the refusal to form flowers may be insufficient watering during the period of active growth or improper maintenance of the flower during the dormant period, especially if you are growing a deciduous type of hemanthus: a resting plant needs a cool room, a lot of light and very little water.

Hemanthus pests and their control

Most often, hemanthus suffers from attacks by spider mites or scale insects. You should especially be wary of the appearance of pests during the hot season.

Shchitovok, which usually hide in the axils of leaves and on their bottom side, removed from the plant with a cotton swab dipped in soapy solution or alcohol, after which the flower is washed in the shower, allowed to dry and treated with a solution of Karbofos or another drug with a similar effect.

Concerning spider mites , then you can guess their presence by the thin web and discolored dots on the leaves - bites. When reproducing, mites are left on the leaves of hemanthus dark spots which gradually turn yellow and dry out. Spider mites are destroyed with acaricidal drugs - Actellik, Aktara, Fitoverm.

Types and varieties of hemanthus

Of the representatives of the genus Hemanthus, the white-flowered and scarlet species are most often grown at home. But scadoxuses, which are close to them, are also commonly called hemanthuses. Since all these plants belong to the Amaryllis family and the conditions for their maintenance are almost the same, we will introduce you to some scadoxus.

– very attractive evergreen with dark green, wide, thick and glossy tongue-shaped leaves about 20 cm long and up to 10 cm wide with cilia along the edge. The length of the powerful peduncles of this species does not exceed 25 cm. The flower arrows are crowned with white spherical umbrellas with golden anther tips. Most famous variety type is:

• Prince Albert- a plant with larger inflorescences than the base species, painted in a rich orange color.

In the photo: White-flowered haemanthus (Haemanthus albiflos)

- the owner of half-meter leaves with red tips, spotted peduncles and original red inflorescences with yellow anthers and large perianth petals. Unfortunately, this species does not bloom in cultivation every year; moreover, its flowering occurs in the fall and does not last long.

In the photo: Scarlet haemanthus (Haemanthus coccineus)

– a variety with leaves arranged in two rows on long petioles with longitudinal folds along the central vein. The peduncles of this hemanthus reach a length of 50 cm, and the inflorescences with a diameter of up to 20 cm consist of bright red umbrellas up to 5 cm in diameter.

In the photo: Linden's haemanthus (Haemanthus lindenii)

Snow white haemanthus (Haemanthus candidus)

- a variety similar to white-flowered hemanthus, but differs from it in the presence of pubescence on the peduncles and the underside of the leaves.

Tiger Haemanthus (Haemanthus tigrinus)

– product breeding work. Its decorated brown spots the leaves reach a length of almost 45 cm, and the peduncles rise above the ground by only 15 cm. The inflorescences of this hemanthus are large and red.

In the photo: Haemanthus puniceus

or Scadoxus pomegranate ( Scadoxus puniceus) - a plant with leathery wavy leaves and red inflorescences with a diameter of about 10 cm.

In the photo: Haemanthus multiflorus

or Scadoxus multiflorus - a plant with veined leaves and large pinkish or scarlet-red inflorescences on tall peduncles.

In the photo: Haemanthus Katherinae

or Scadoxus Katherinae - the most popular variety with long and thin leaves, sitting on a false stem up to 15 cm high, and red inflorescences appearing on the plant at the end of summer.