Distinctive features of the plant, agricultural technology for the cultivation of geminocallis, recommendations for flower reproduction, diseases and pests, interesting facts, species. Today, the Amaryllidaceae family includes up to 50 plant species with a bulbous root. One of these representatives is the genus Hymenocallis and the flower with the same name. The main territories where this specimen of flora is found are lands in different regions of the South American continent - from Bolivia and Peru.
You can often hear among flower growers that the plant is named "spider lily" or "Peruvian lily". In addition, in the botanical scientific environment, hymenokallis is called a synonymous name - Ismene. However, there is an opinion that these are two dissimilar varieties, and the latter was separated from the first. The main difference is that the hymenocallis is devoid of the false stem, which nature has rewarded with change. This process is created from the remnants of leaf plates, which die off over time. Next, there is a difference in the location of the pedicel (its orientation). In change, it tilts and can practically lie horizontally, and the hymenokallis has a peduncle that grows almost vertically upward. The color of the crown in the hymenokallis is always of the same color, and in the change there are longitudinal stripes of a green tone. And guided by these differences, the daffodil Hymenokallis, which is often called Narcissus Ismene, can be attributed to the Ismene clan. This variety is distinguished by bent pedicels in the plane of the horizon, and the lines along which stamens are spliced with petals are accompanied by a dark green edging.
The bulb in almost all representatives of the amaryllis takes the shape of a pear and its surface is covered with scales, which dry out over time and become shiny. When the plant reaches maturity, such a bulb can measure 10 cm in diameter.
The leaf plates of the hymenocallis have sheaths and are arranged in strict order in the same plane. The length of the sheet can reach from one and a half to meter indicators. They have no petioles, the leaves are sessile. The leaf plate in most varieties has a belt-like shape, and the central vein is, as it were, pressed into the surface of the leaf. The top is distinguished by a pointed contour. The color of the foliage is bright green, the surface is smooth and glossy. Some varieties of this family never shed their leaves, while others remain non-leafy during dry periods.
The pride of the hymenocallis is its highly decorative flowers, which in their outlines resemble a fancy star or a spider with long limbs. And all this splendor is complemented by the calyx of the bud, which consists of six fairly long sepals. In these formations, the length reaches 20 cm, and the shape is narrow-linear. At the base, the color of the sepals is green, and towards the top it changes to a color similar to the color of the petals. In some varieties, the petals are bent back in an arcuate manner only at the tops, while in other varieties they can sag freely to the very base of the bud.
At the corolla, the petals are spliced, it is radially symmetrical itself, it includes 6 petals, which are in one way or another cut at the ends. Also inside there are 6 stamens, which have also grown together and form a crown of funnel-shaped outlines, reaching up to 5 cm in depth. There are varietal varieties in which the length of the stamens almost reaches the length of the sepals. Anthers with oval contours are cast in bright yellow or orange-yellow color scheme. From flowers that have a delicate aroma, inflorescences, umbrella or corymbose contours are collected. Usually, the number of buds in such an inflorescence ranges from 2-16 units, there are also 2-3 bracts. The peduncle can reach the size of leaf plates in length. Its surface is bare, and there is a slight flattening in the section. After flowering is over, fruits of green color with fleshy outlines will appear. Large seeds are placed inside them.
Cultivation of hymennokalis, planting and care
- Lighting and location selection. If we take into account the representatives of the Amaryllis family, the "spider lily" is the most light-loving species. The direct rays of the sun will not harm the leaves and flowers in the slightest. If we talk about growing hymenokallis in a room, then it is worth putting a pot with a flower on the window sills of windows facing the south, southwest or southeast sides. If the plant stands on the north side, then it is possible that it will not be able to bloom. The same applies to winter time, when daylight hours become very short and insufficient for a flower, it will be necessary to carry out mandatory illumination with phytolamps so that the duration of full illumination is not less than 10 hours a day. With the arrival of the spring-summer period, when the morning frosts pass, it is recommended to take out the "Peruvian lily" in the garden or on the balcony.
- Content temperature. In the spring-summer period, the heat indicators should be room temperature - 21-25 degrees, and with the arrival of autumn, especially when there is not enough lighting, it will be necessary to create a cooler content for the hymenokallis. Avoid placing the plant pot next to central heating radiators. It is recommended to fence off the flower from them with special screens. In winter, thermometer readings should not go beyond 14-18 units. When artificial lighting is available, it is not necessary to lower the room temperature if the plant is deciduous. Otherwise, when the leaves fall off, the bulbs are kept in dry conditions at a temperature of 10-12 degrees.
- Watering. This is the most important element of plant care. The soil in the pot must be constantly moisturized. However, both stagnant moisture and drying out of the soil harm the "Peruvian lily". Water is used warm and well-separated. When the plant is dormant, moisture is reduced. If watering is not enough, then the leaves of the hymenokallis lose their turgor and become lethargic. Deciduous varieties are kept without moisture at all at this time.
- Air humidity does not play a big role for the spider lily, and it is not required to spray it additionally, you can only periodically wipe the leaf plates with a damp soft cloth.
- Fertilizers introduced during the activation of the growing season of hymenokallis. The regularity is once every 2-3 weeks. Liquid dressings are used for bulbous indoor plants. The concentration does not change.
- Transfer hymenocallis and soil selection. Young plants need to be replanted annually, and in adults, the pot and soil are changed as the bulb grows. The pot for this flower should be spacious enough, since the bulb tends to grow over time. Small holes are made in the bottom of the container, through which unabsorbed water will flow freely from the pot. You will also need to lay a layer of drainage material (for example, medium expanded clay, pebbles or broken shards) before pouring the soil on the bottom.
Soil for growing "spider lily" is selected with good looseness and low acidity, so that the pH is in the range of 5, 0-6, 0. You can use ready-made soil mixtures for indoor bulbous plants. Mixing in them a little crushed charcoal. Such an additive will protect the flower from putrefactive diseases. You can also compose the substrate yourself:
- sod soil, leafy soil and humus, peat soil, coarse sand (in the ratio 2: 2: 2: 1: 1);
- turf, greenhouse land, coarse river sand (in proportions 1: 3: 1).
If the plant is to be grown in the open field, then it is necessary to allow the bulb to germinate a little before planting. To do this, it needs to be placed in a small pot filled with peat soil mixed with wood sawdust. In the container, holes must be made in the bottom for the liquid to drain. The substrate above the bulb should be about 5 cm. During germination, keep 15 degrees Celsius. It is recommended to plant an onion in open ground in early May.
Tips for breeding and changing at home
You can get a new plant with beautiful flowers by using daughter bulbs and sowing seeds.
When the mother plant of the hymenokallis reaches 3-4 years of age, it has daughter bulbs - "babies". When transplanting, you will need to separate these young formations from an adult flower and plant them in a prepared pot with selected soil for further growth. When the leaf plates freeze, then the children are separated from the rhizome. At the same time, the rhizome is washed and preserved.
Difficulties in cultivating hymenocallis
Like all bulbous representatives of the spider lily flora, it can be attacked by spider mites, aphids or thrips. At the first signs of the presence of harmful insects, it will be necessary to treat the leaf plates with insecticides. Such drugs can be Actellik, Aktara or Fitover.
The most common disease is gray rot, which occurs on the bulb, so when transplanting it must be carefully examined. And if sore spots are found, they will need to be carefully removed - cuts are made with a sharpened and disinfected knife and then sprinkled with activated or charcoal crushed into powder. But this treatment is possible only when the volume of the lesion is small. When the rot captures more than half of the bulb, then the plant can no longer be saved. Most often, the bulb is exposed to such a disease when it is kept at low temperatures, and it is exposed to frequent flooding.
It also happens that hymenokallis does not bloom, this is due to the fact that the illumination for the plant is weak, feeding is carried out in insufficient quantities, or in winter the temperature of the content was too high.
In case of violation of hymenokallis care, the following troubles arise:
- if there is not enough moisture for the flower, then the foliage turns pale, and the flowers take on a withered appearance;
- when wormholes appear on the flowers, this is a consequence of too low temperatures;
- if the light level is very high, then yellow blotches appear on the flowers;
- in the case of high dampness, the leaf plates fade and turn yellow.
With anthracnose, the leaves of the flower are covered with black dots and brown smudges are visible on their tops. To carry out treatment, you will need to cut off the diseased parts of the leaves. Then treat the plant with fungicides and at the same time reduce watering, and also more often ventilate the room where the hymenokallis is contained.
When a reddish speck appears on the leaves, this indicates the development of stagonospores. The spot first covers the bulb, and then it crawls onto the foliage. If the disease has not gone far, then foundationol can help - 2 grams must be dissolved in a liter of water. When the disease strongly affected the bulb of hymenocallis, the following preparation is made up: crushed chalk, vitriol and adhesive (in proportions of 100: 5: 10 in grams).
Interesting facts about Hymenokalis
Difficulties associated with the classification of this plant arise for the reason that it grows in very hard-to-reach areas and it is poorly studied. Europe got acquainted with hymenokallis quite recently, no more than 200 years ago the seeds of this flower were brought to our continent.
There is another misunderstanding in the names when Hymenokallis is called Pancratium. This is because plants are very similar in color to each other, they already definitely belong to different species. They can be easily distinguished by looking at the leaf plates. In the first, they are bright or dark green in color, they can be "grassy" with a glossy surface, there are quite a few of them. And the second has a smaller number of foliage, and its color is bluish-gray, the surface is covered with a bluish bloom and the leaf plate is almost succulent with narrow contours.
Hymenokallis species
- Hymenocallis caribbean (Hymenocallis caribaea) the most common variety among amateur florists. The plant is an evergreen specimen of flora that is often found on the coast of the Antilles. There is no dormant period in this variety. The leaf plates have a narrow lanceolate shape and a dark emerald color. The length of the leaf can reach up to 90 cm with a width of 5-7 cm. The flowering period is long, up to 4 months, and it falls on the winter months. The flowering stem is crowned with an inflorescence with the contours of an umbrella, into which 3-5 large buds are connected. The color of the petals is snow-white, and the sepals of narrow outlines are at least 7 cm long.
- Hymenocallis early (Hymenocallis festalis) an equally popular variety that is grown indoors. Its native area of natural "habitat" falls on the territory of Peru. In gardens that are in tropical and subtropical climates, it has long been customary to cultivate this variety. The leaf plates are much shorter than the previous species, only 40–60 cm. Their color is dark green, the surface is glossy, and they are belt-like in shape. The flowering period begins in April and lasts until July. The flowers have white petals and reach 10 cm in diameter. Sepals form a circular curvature, a crown of large size, with a wide opening.
- Hymenocallis daffodil (Hymenocallis amancaes) the plant is evergreen and grows only in the mountainous regions of Peru, endemic - it is not found anywhere except in these areas. The leaves have a dark green color and xiphoid outlines. The petals of flowers are yellow, the crown is large, with wide outlines, which is so large that it almost completely covers the stamens and only the anthers are visible free. The sepals are almost 1, 5–2 times longer than the crown. There are varieties of this plant, in which flower petals are cast in purple and white colors. Flowering begins in July and ends only in October.
- Hymenocallis beautiful (Hymenocallis speciosa). Grows in the Antilles, an evergreen plant. The leaf plates are lanceolate-elliptic, reaching a length of 60 cm. The flowering stem protrudes above the leaf rosette up to about a third. It is crowned with an umbrella-shaped inflorescence containing 5-16 flowers. Their petals are painted in a snow-white color and the flower reaches 15 cm in diameter. The sepals are 7 cm long and have an arched bend.
- Hymenocallis cordifolia (Hymenocallis cordifolia). Strongly different from previous varieties. The leaf plates have long petioles and its outlines are elongated with heart-shaped outlines. The flowers are whitish, narrow, drooping, but the crowns are not.
- Hymenocallis tubiflora (Hymenocallis tubiflora) grows in the north coastal areas of South America and in the lands of Trinidad. Flowers of this species are similar to the previous variety. The leaves are also distinguished by the presence of petioles, but their shape is broad-lanceolate.
For more on Hymenokallis, see this video:
