Amaryllidaceae family (Amaryllidaceae). Amaryllidaceae How to care for plants of the amaryllidaceae family
Includes 65 genera, 900 species.
Spreading: predominantly tropical and subtropical countries. Life Forms: perennial herbaceous plants.
Underground organs: bulbs, rhizomes, rarely corms.
Aboveground shoots: the stem is represented by a leafless peduncle.
Leaves:
In the root rosette;
Simple;
Often the leaves are linear or thread-like;
Sessile, rarely petiolate. The venation is arcuate. The leaves are covered with a waxy coating. The leaves often contain mucilage.
Flowers: collected in inflorescences: umbrella, curl or single flowers.
Galanthus snowy
Pollination: entomophilous (insects - butterflies, bees, bumblebees), ornithophilous (birds), self-pollination possible.
Fetus: coenocarpous (dehiscent capsule or berry).
Dioscorea nipponensis - Dioscorea nipponica
Seed distribution: the wind tingles with animals. Meaning.
■ Medicinal.
■ Decorative.
Ungernia Victor - Ungernia Victoris
Life form - bulbous plant. Medical value (medicinal raw materials) - leaves. The main group of biologically active substances are alkaloids. Pharmacological action - treatment of myasthenia gravis, myopathies, paralysis, hypertension.
Order Dioscoreales
Refers to several families.
Family Dioscoreaceae
Includes 6 genera, 700 species.
Spreading: mainly in tropical and subtropical countries,
few species enter the temperate region.
Life Forms: perennial herbaceous plants, shrubs, vines.
Underground organs: tubers, rhizomes.
Leaves: simple, rarely complex (tripartite and five-fingered).
The leaves are often long-petiolate.
The venation is palmate.
Leaf arrangement: alternate or opposite.
Flowers: mostly in inflorescences: raceme, spike.
Pollination: entomophilous (insects).
Fetus:
Seed distribution: air currents, water.
Meaning.
■ Medicinal.
Ecological significance - decorative.
Life form is a perennial herbaceous dioecious liana.
Medical value (medicinal raw materials) - rhizomes with roots.
Pharmacological action: hypocholesterolemic.
Dioscorea Caucasica - Dioscorea caucasica
Life form - perennial herbaceous
dioecious liana.
Medical value (medicinal raw materials) - rhizomes with roots.
The main group of biologically active substances are steroid saponins.
Pharmacological action - hypocholesterolemic.
Order Orchidaceae - Orchidales
Belongs to 1 family.
Orchid family - Orchidaceae
Includes 750 genera, 25,000 species.
Spreading: everywhere (cosmopolitans), but 90% of the species composition is in tropical countries.
Life Forms: perennial herbaceous plants, vines, shrubs. Often achlorophyllous saprophytes. Underground organs: rhizomes, tubers, tuber roots.
Aboveground shoots: The stem is most often characterized by sympodial growth, but monopodial growth is also found. Leaves: simple, vaginal or stem-encompassing. There are two types of leaves on the shoot: scale-like and normal. Leaf arrangement: alternate-two-row or opposite. Flowers: collected in botryoid inflorescences: spike, raceme, panicle, sometimes single flowers.
Pollination: entomophilous (insects), ornithophilous (birds), possibly
self-pollination.
Fetus: coenocarp: capsule or berry.
Seed dispersal : wind, animals, ants.
Meaning.
■ Medicinal.
■ Food (underground organs of some plants of the Orchis genus).
■ Honey-bearing.
Economic value (dyeing for fabrics - yellow color).
Genus Orchis - Orchis
Life form - perennial herbaceous
plant.
Medical significance
(medicinal raw materials) - tubers.
The main group of biologically active substances is polysaccharides (mucus).
Pharmachologic effect -
enveloping.
Lady's slipper - Cypripedium
Life form is a perennial herbaceous plant. Economic value: decorative.
Lyubka bifolia (night violet)- Platanthera bifolia
Life form - perennial
herbaceous plant.
Honey-bearing.
Edible (underground parts are edible).
Used in cosmetology (flowers).
Daffodils are perennial bulbous plants from the amaryllis family. This is one of the most common spring flowers, it has about thirty thousand varieties, and is represented by thirteen species.
Daffodils are endowed with a wonderful aroma and a bright, memorable appearance, they grow quickly, are not afraid of cold weather, and are unpretentious, so not a single “spring” flower bed is complete without these beautiful flowers.
In Ancient Rome, daffodils were considered the flowers of winners; in Chinese culture, the flower represents the coming New Year; in Eastern medicine, it is used as a remedy for mastitis and rheumatism.
The content of the article:
Planting daffodils: when and how to plant
Daffodils are not capricious flowers and even a novice gardener can cope with their cultivation. The flower is not picky about soil, however, some features of the plant should be taken into account when choosing a place for planting. There is a clear answer to the questions of when and how to plant daffodils; plant them in the fall, in a quiet area well lit by the sun. Daffodils are unique flowers; they adapt to any type of soil. Still, there are some conditions that must be observed when planting some of their species.
So, planting time is determined purely individually, and depends on the climatic latitude. Planting daffodils in open ground in the fall can stretch from August to October, the main thing is that the soil does not cool down and keeps the temperature at + 9-12 degrees. Before the first frost, the narcissus bulb should have time to take root and begin to grow.
How to properly cultivate the soil for planting daffodils
Daffodils develop well on loamy soils, this does not mean that the flower will not grow on fertile soil rich in humus.
Daffodils, like all garden flowers, prefer fertile soil, enriched with humus, with a neutral acidity level. But excessive aeration and light sandy soils are not suitable for planting daffodils, since the bulb can freeze in winter and dry out in summer without proper care.
It is not difficult to adjust the soil yourself: add chernozem (1 bucket per 2 sq.m.), lime and nitrophoska (150-200 grams per 1 sq.m.) to poor loams; mix light sandy soil with chernozem and clay in equal parts, add nitrogen fertilizers and potassium; heavy and clogged soils are artificially lightened with river sand (15 kg per sq.m.) and peat. Organic fertilizers are applied to the soil a year before the plant is supposed to be planted on the site, in order to avoid burning the narcissus bulb.
Optimal planting depth for daffodils
The depth of planting a flower primarily depends on the variety and size of the narcissus bulb. Experienced gardeners say that the optimal deepening can be considered to be planting the bulb at a depth three times greater than its size. Thus, for large bulbs, the optimal depth will be about 22 cm, and small bulbs can be planted at a depth of 11 to 16 cm. Larger planting material will give early flowering, and to force the bulb ahead of schedule, plant it at 5-8 cm higher than that obtained when calculating the depth.
Planting daffodils in the fall or the main rules for planting bulbs
You have decided on preparing the soil and choosing a site before planting; now you need to form holes for planting.
Multiply the height of the bulb by three and get the planting depth; take into account the fact that the soil freezes in winter; it is better to deepen it an additional 5 cm than to lose the bulb during wintering.
Before planting, the bulbs are carefully inspected for affected areas, soaked for a minute in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and dried with a paper towel.
At the bottom of the hole (for drainage), pour 1 cm of river sand, lay the onion root down and lightly press down so that the onion takes root better.
The bulb is sprinkled with ash on top and half filled with soil, the next part of the soil is mixed with phosphorus and potassium and poured into the hole, the surface is lightly pressed down and watered generously.
Caring for daffodils
Caring for daffodils in the open ground in the fall should be aimed at creating conditions for the bulb to take root and protect it from upcoming frosts. Applying fertilizers during the hibernation stage of the plant is not required, unless, of course, you followed the rules for planting daffodils and applied fertilizers in the proper amount before planting.
Watering in the fall is also not required, but if the autumn turns out to be dry and warm, weekly watering is welcome. For the winter, the area with daffodils is covered with mulch or spruce branches, and cleared in early spring.
Caring for daffodils consists of watering, weeding, hilling and fertilizing the plant. Fertilizers are applied during the formation of the peduncle. Watering in early spring is not required, since the soil is saturated with moisture from the winter; during flowering, daffodils are watered once a week.
Weeding is carried out as they appear. Hilling should be done as needed, carefully so as not to damage the bulb and the newborn plant. In harsh winters, daffodils need additional shelter: a layer of peat, straw or dry foliage is perfect.
Daffodils are planted once every 5-6 years; the bulbs are dug up, separated, dried and transplanted to a new location. Difficult to separate and small children are left with the mother's bulb. Transplantation is carried out when the plant has completely bloomed, in August and September.
Bulbs for storage do not need to be dug up annually, but they are stored well in a dark, cool and dry place until next year. Before planting, the bulbs are sorted and soaked in a manganese solution.
Species of daffodils, their varieties and characteristics
Narcissus has about a dozen species and more than 20 thousand varieties. They are common in most countries with temperate climates. It grows wild in Europe, Russia, the Alps, and Asia.
The history of the origin of the name of the flower rests on the legends of Ancient Greece, in one of which, the Ancient Greek goddess Nemesis punished a young man, at the request of the nymphs he rejected, and he, seeing his reflection in the water, froze with love for himself and turned into a flower.
The color of daffodils varies depending on the variety and type, the classic shades of white and yellow. The foliage is basal, width and length also depend on the variety. The bulbs are scaly, brown, oval-elongated. The narcissus flower is bright, decorative and unpretentious, and therefore is gaining increasing popularity.
Double daffodils
The “terry” cap of the narcissus lives up to its name with its appearance and adorns the tall peduncle. The perianth is white and yellow, the crown is red, milky or deep orange. The terry species grows well, is unpretentious and looks impressive in any flower bed. The most common varieties: Modern, Indiana, Golden Ducket, Beauty Exotic, Texas, Replit, Menly.
Cyclamenoid daffodils
Reaches a height of 22 cm, and is similar to the cyclamen flower. The narcissus flower itself looks down, the petals puff up upward. The middle is lighter than the main shade, long and thin. It blooms early and gets along well with its neighbors in the flowerbed. The leaves are long and thin, prone to lodging. Common varieties: Jenny, Tete-a-Tete, Baby Doll, Jack Sneel, Andalusia.
Split-crowned daffodils
You won’t be able to pass by the split-crowned daffodils. Their brightness and unusual appearance attracts the attention of others.
The middle of the flower has a dissected crown, creating a volume effect. The color palette of the species is varied. Narcissus of this species grows up to 20-25 cm. The peduncle is decorated with a single flower with a diameter of 11.5 cm. Common varieties: Lemon Beauty, Split Crown, Size King, Chantarel, Modesta, Cassata.
Jonquil daffodils
Another representative of daffodils, it has more than five small flowers on a peduncle, with a short, rounded, convex center and long, thin leaves. The species is distributed in temperate latitudes of our country. The colors of the jonquil daffodil are varied, including yellow, milky and pale orange shades.
Common varieties include: Star Hill, Sweetness, Golden, Susie Cherry, Bel Zong and the most beautiful specimen Baby Moon.
Trumpet daffodils
One of the large and widespread groups of narcissists. The middle of the flower is tubular. Flowering is early, the variety of varieties is wide.
The flower is large, on a long stem, the leaves reach 21 cm in height.
The tube and the main shade of the flower occur in different shades. The look is unpretentious, decorative and sustainable. Common varieties are: 
Golden Harveys, Celebrity, Christian Andersen, Bonnet, Golden Stark, Mount Hood, Musical Hall, Little Jame, Lunar C.
Large-crowned daffodils
They live up to their name with a large convex crown. The flower is large, bright yellow or white. Crowns come in a variety of colors. The peduncle grows up to 35 cm, surrounded by narrow and long leaves. Large-crowned daffodils are very popular among flower growers and are represented by the following varieties: Smagard, Lagerlef, Cardinal, Velaxes, 
Progress, Sound Semiramis, Flower Shea, Royal Orange, Scarlet, Lady Bird, Kentucky.
Small-crowned daffodils
You can recognize the variety by its small, short crown, widening towards the top. Shades of milky, pearl, yellow, pale pink, orange. The peduncle is short, strong and resistant to lodging.
Daffodils of this species are unpretentious and stable. They grow quickly, without additional requirements. They delight with the long-lasting freshness of the bouquet and fit organically into any decor.
Varieties: Jewel, Barrett, Verger, Limerick
Triandrus, triander daffodils
A selective species of daffodils, delicate, with a crown that flares upward. A small flower, yellow in color, is located on a narrow and high stalk, proudly crowned with a bright cylinder and bent petals. Recommended varieties: Ice, Thalia, Liberty Bells, Hawera, Stoke.
The grace and sophisticated appearance of the narcissus appeals at first sight. It blooms with white, neat inflorescences with a short, skirt-shaped crown framed in bright red.
The flower is crowned with a tall and thin stem up to 38 cm. The delicate spring aroma and pearly whiteness of the petals will not leave any gardener indifferent. The most successful garden varieties are: Actea, Rome, Margaret Mitchell, Milan and Beauty.
Wild daffodils
The species includes about 50 subspecies, grow in families and cover vast areas. The flowers are small and fragrant, on a short stalk, white and yellow. The wild species is found in the Alps, Greece, Romania, Europe, Italy and the forests of Russia.
Daffodils multiflorum
One peduncle of this species contains about 8 flowers. The appearance of the multi-flowered narcissus is unusual and chic, due to the clustering and splendor of the inflorescences. The colors are varied, ranging from soft peach, white and yellow. Despite its appearance, the appearance is not capricious and stable. Common varieties: Medusa, Minnow, Laurent Coster, Scarlet Jam, Elvira, Geranium, Chefulness.
Bulbocodium or bell-shaped hybrids
A beautiful hybrid developed by breeders not so long ago.
The inflorescences are small with a large and wide crown, a delicate aroma and a low-growing peduncle. This daffodil is an ideal pot option.
Growing daffodils at home
Narcissus is one of the few flowers that grows well both in open ground and indoor conditions. Planting and caring for daffodils is not difficult. First, you should choose the variety that best suits you; these can be low-growing and lush types of daffodils, such as multi-flowered or double.
It is better to choose a ceramic or glass pot for planting daffodils, at least 15 cm in diameter, with drainage holes. You can purchase soil at a flower shop or prepare it yourself by mixing garden soil with mineral fertilizers and a small amount of peat.
If you decide to buy bulbs in a store, carefully inspect them and allow only healthy and large material to be planted.
Preference can be given to the following varieties: Inbal, Ziva, Magnet, Avalanche and Bumazhny.
Before planting, the bulbs are soaked in a solution of manganese, in a solution of hydrogen peroxide or potassium permanganate, and then dried.
If you want to get flowering by a certain time, plant the daffodil bulbs 3 weeks before your date. And be sure to add nitrophoska or liquid fertilizer for bulbous flowers to the pot.
A small flat pebble is placed at the bottom of the pot for drainage, soil is poured up to half of the pot, a bed is formed in it, which must be covered with a thin layer of river sand. Then, the bulb is placed bottom down and covered with soil, the pot is placed in a sunny place and watered generously with water at room temperature, and after three weeks you will enjoy the first flowering of the indoor daffodil.
The genus Crinum belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family, which includes up to 70 genera and at least 1000 species, distributed in the tropics and subtropics of all continents except Antarctica. The genus Krinum is the largest in the family and includes, according to various estimates, from 100 to 170 species. Approximately 80 species grow in tropical Africa, about 10 species in South Africa, more than 20 species in tropical Asia, at least 10 in tropical America, and about 10 species grow in Australia and Polynesia.
Over a long period of evolution, crinums of different species have adapted to living in a wide variety of conditions. They can be found in the mountains at altitudes over 1000 meters above sea level, they grow in deserts and on sea coasts, and a considerable part of the species choose swamps and river banks as their place of residence. And finally, few
species have adapted to living in rivers and lakes up to desalinated lagoons.
According to modern estimates, there are from 10 to 14 species of aquatic crinum, but ongoing research can either reduce this number by synonymizing a number of apparently different forms, or increase it by describing new species not yet known to science.
Krinum Thai
Regardless of their habitat, all crinums have a number of common characteristics. These are long, ribbon-shaped leaves in aquatic species or lanceolate in terrestrial species with dense coverings, which, when damaged, release a large amount of mucus rich in alkaloids. These are quite large flowers - from white and yellow to intense pink and purple - flowers collected in an umbrella inflorescence on a stalk up to a meter long. In plants of different species, the inflorescence has from 2 to 50 long-tubular flowers with 6 petals and a bunch of 6 long stamens with large anthers (sometimes brightly colored) and one pistil.
All crinums, both aquatic and terrestrial, have multi-scaled bulbs. In aquatic species, the thickenings in the lower part of the stem are usually less pronounced. They rather resemble a tube formed by the bases of the leaves. The roots are powerful, slightly branching, succulent, from white to brown, depending on the nature of the soil and growing conditions.
Currently, three species of aquatic crinums and several of their forms with unclear taxonomic status are cultivated in our country. The first to enter our country was Crinum thaianum, or Thai crinum, in 1967, the second was Crinum natans, or floating crinum, in 1972. The addition of these species to our collection of aquarium plants is the merit of Mark Davidovich Makhlin. And finally, about ten years later, Crinum calamistratum, or curly crinum, appeared, imported by D. Nekrasov.
All three species are excellent aquarium plants, unpretentious and durable, although suitable only for large ones and are practically not damaged by fish, even herbivores; the powerful root system reliably fixes the plant in the ground, which makes it possible to keep burrowing fish together with them - these features expand the possibility of their use in the design of problem aquariums.
Crinum thaianum J. Schulze, 1971. First marketed before scientific description under the commercial name Crinum aquatica.
In nature, it lives in the rivers of southern Thailand. The bulb is round, in older specimens up to 7 cm in diameter, much thicker than the light, elongated base of the rosette of leaves. The leaves are light green with straight edges and a slightly convex narrow midrib, up to 3 meters long and 1.5-2.5 cm wide. The apex of the leaf is short-pointed.
Crinum floating
A strong mature bush can bear up to 15 leaves. They can be straight, like those of the giant Vallisneria, twisted into a loose spiral around the central vein, or corkscrew-shaped. The status of these forms is unclear; it is not yet known whether this trait is inherited or not; their origin has not been established: it is quite possible that they are geographical races. In batches of this type from Singaporean suppliers of aquarium plants, they are found all together and there are no clear boundaries between them.
Crinum natans Baker, 1898. In cultivation since 1966. It lives in the rivers of West Africa from Guinea to Cameroon and south to Zaire. The bulb looks only like a thickening of the base of a rosette of leaves up to 4.5 cm in diameter, pin-shaped. The leaves are dark green with a powerful light central vein, convex on both sides, occupying up to a third of the leaf width. In intense light, young leaves are brownish, but turn green over time. The edges of the leaf are smoothly wavy, the apex is gradually pointed. Leaf length is up to 1.5 m, width - 1.5-5 cm. A strong adult specimen can bear up to 20-25 leaves.
Just like the Thai crinum, this species has a number of forms that differ in the nature of the leaves. There are forms with narrow and wide leaves, and others smoothly curled along the central vein. Perhaps the most decorative is Crinum natans f. 4"torta", in which the lateral parts of the leaf blade are often and finely corrugated, as if compressed along the central vein. Apparently, it is this variation that Singaporean aquarium plant supply companies call Crinum aquatica. And in this case of variability we are most likely dealing with geographical races, although perhaps the morals of I.Nordal and R.Wahlstrom (A study of the genus Crinum (Amaryllidaceae) in Cameroon. Adansonia. ser.2, 20\2 \ 179-198, 1980), suggesting that in this case we are dealing with natural hybrids that arose between crinum species growing nearby.
Crinum calamistratum Bogner et Heine, 1987. It was introduced into culture even before its scientific description under the name Crinum natans "crispus". This delightful species is native to the rivers of western Cameroon. The bulb is weakly expressed. up to 3 cm in diameter. The leaves are dark green, consisting of a powerful central vein and narrow, strongly wavy lateral parts of the leaf blade up to 2 m long and no more than 0.7 cm wide, hard and fragile. A mature bush can have up to 40 leaves, although usually fewer. No clear variations have yet been identified in this species.
Crinums reproduce in nature and botanical gardens mainly by seeds, and in aquariums vegetatively, although with a water column of up to 50 cm they bloom quite easily. An adult bush gives birth to babies inside the mother's bulb or close to it. Children grow slowly, especially if there are many of them, and they can be separated only after the formation of 5-7 leaves and at least 2-3 roots. Otherwise, they will either die or be sick for a long time and develop extremely slowly. The most prolific is S. calamistratum; sometimes a strong bush bears up to 20 children of different ages. The other two species give birth to 1-3 children at a time, and they develop more slowly. If the first species sometimes begins to reproduce already in the second or third year, then it is not worth waiting for the offspring of others earlier than 5-6 years.
Crinum curly
The growing conditions for these three species and their variations in aquarium culture are the same, despite the fact that in nature they live in different places, differing not only geographically, but also in environmental parameters.
Crinums are extremely unpretentious to the chemical composition of water; they grow approximately equally in both soft acidic water and hard, slightly alkaline water. Both old water that is rarely replaced and fresh water that is regularly replaced are suitable.
Illumination should be moderate; They can withstand weak ones, but they slow down their already leisurely growth and are quite content with incandescent lamps or fluorescent tubes of the LB type. The use of spectral lamps or special lamps is justified only in aquariums with a depth of more than 50 cm.
Temperature from 22 to 35°C. At the lower limit of temperature, the growth of the plant practically stops, but it does not die, and at high temperatures it is necessary to increase the light and feed with CO2, otherwise the lower leaves begin to die and the plant becomes very weak, followed by long-term rehabilitation. At 24-26°C there is no need for additional feeding of CO2 - the amount released by aquatic organisms and supplied from the atmosphere is quite sufficient.
Foliar feeding (applying liquid fertilizers to water) is ineffective, since the lion's share of minerals is absorbed by the roots. In addition, the slightest overdose of fertilizers can lead to disruption of the biological balance in the aquarium and provoke the massive development of algae,
from which the leaves of crinums suffer greatly and begin to die, and in any case their decorative effect disappears for a long time.
The greatest attention when growing crinums requires handling of the roots. The powerful but fragile roots of these plants do not like transplantation and are afraid of rotting.
Any damage to the roots will stunt the plant's growth, so be patient when adding the plant to your aquarium. When planting, you need to make sure that only the very base of the bulb is buried in the soil.
Before a plant can begin to grow, it must rebuild its root system, and this takes time.
The most suitable soil is river screening of 3-6 mm. Due to the powerful root system, the soil layer should be at least 8-10 cm, but this is not worth it, as it will be difficult to avoid silting in the lower layers. You can also plant in pots, but they must be large to avoid frequent replanting or compaction of the root ball, which leads to inevitable rotting of the roots with all the ensuing consequences.
For the same reason, heavy siltation of the soil is unacceptable. It is good to add some activated carbon under the roots, which will save the roots from rotting. It is best to fertilize with special soil fertilizers for aquariums, for example Tetra Plant or Sera florenette A.
You can also use laterite, natalite and vulcanite, which are now regularly on sale, but since in this case it is more difficult to maintain the correct dosages, you need to be very careful. The main rule: be careful with the roots, and success is guaranteed.
Crinum purpurascens.
Distributed in water bodies of Central and South America, found in Brazil and western
regions of India.
Very similar to crinum floating, but much smaller.
Leaves are usually up to 30 cm long and 3 cm wide; the main vein protrudes slightly. The flowers are white to purple-red.
Grow the plant in a tropical aquarium with a low water level, in a bright place.
The water should be soft, temperature 20 - 30° C.
The Amaryllidaceae family includes more than 70 genera of bulbous (or corm) plants, distributed on all continents. Some of them are found in temperate climates, such as snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis), narcissus (Narcissus), but most of them grow naturally in the tropics and subtropics.
Many heat-loving representatives of this family are well known as indoor plants (,), others (blue amaryllis, or) are quite rarely found in home amaryllis collections; they can be seen in greenhouses or at flower shows.
The main reason for the popularity of amaryllis is the incredible beauty of the inflorescences, which can consist of one or many flowers.
The name of the family was given by the genus Amaryllis. Now this genus is represented in the botanical classification by one species - Amaryllis belladonna. Amaryllis grows in South Africa. It is quite rare in collections. The plant that most lovers of indoor floriculture call amaryllis (and can be found on sale under this name, which causes confusion) is actually hippeastrum. The homeland of hippeastrum is the tropics and subtropics of America.
The taxonomy of these genera is full of confusion and confusion. In 1954, the International Botanical Congress recommended that only one African species, Amaryllis belladonna, be called amaryllis, and that all American amaryllis be classified in the genus Hippeastrum. But for many decades, hippeastrums, clivias, and many other bulbous plants with beautiful inflorescences were called amaryllis, so the name amaryllis is still used. In the literature the names hippeastrum and amaryllis are found as synonyms.
These beautiful plants are very similar - during the flowering period, both throw out thick and long peduncles with umbrellas of large funnel-shaped flowers. In amaryllis, flower stalks bear 6-12 flowers; in hippeastrum, usually from 2 to 6 buds bloom (but there are many hybrids that differ in flower size, number of buds and the presence of aroma). Amaryllis blooms in summer-autumn, hippeastrum blooms in late winter - early spring, but it can bloom twice a year.
The main difference is that the peduncle of hippeastrums is hollow inside, while that of amaryllis is dense. The bulbs are large (8-10 cm for hippeastrum, about 6 cm for amaryllis), the leaves are long, belt-shaped.
Zephyranthes
With all this, there are a huge number of interspecific and intergeneric hybrids with different properties.
The leaves of most members of the amaryllis family are long and narrow, often covered with a waxy coating. The central vein often forms a keel on the lower surface of the leaf. The size of the leaves ranges from a few centimeters to a meter or more.
All members of this family are required (except crinum) for successful flowering. The duration and timing of the dormant period differ and depend on the natural conditions of their homeland. Thus, in hippeastrum, amaryllis, zephyranthes, and sprekels, the dormant period can last 3-4 months, which is explained by the aridity of their natural habitat. Eucharis awakens after a month to flower.
Most amaryllis are fairly unpretentious plants. To successfully grow them at home, it is enough to follow some simple rules.
- All amaryllis plants are light-loving plants and are very sensitive to excess moisture and their bulbs can simply rot from excessive watering.
- Representatives of the family do not like large pots; they need to be fertilized regularly during the period of leaf growth and flowering.
- Despite the fact that they sell dormant amaryllis bulbs without roots (this makes it easier to transport), most of them are difficult to tolerate the loss of roots. Do not remove them from the pot during the dormant period.
- They reproduce by daughter bulbs, which inherit the characteristics of the mother plant.
Almost all amaryllis species are poisonous. They contain alkaloids that can cause poisoning if ingested, and in rare cases, irritation upon contact with skin or mucous membranes.
Today we are opening a series of articles devoted to plant rarities, as well as species, forms, and varieties that are still not very common in summer cottages. Let's start getting acquainted with them with bulbous and corm plants.
Krinum Mura - snow-white beauty, photo by the author
Despite the visual similarity of the underground organs and linear leaves, they are all representatives of different families:
- Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllidaceae);
- Iris (Iridaceae);
Sternbergia yellow - autumn miracle, photo by the author
- Hyacinths (Hyacinthaceae);
- Liliaceae (Liliaceae);
- Alliums (Alliaceae);
- Asphodelineaceae (Asphodelaceae);
- Colchicaceae (Colchicaceae).
Today we will pay attention to rare perennial plants of the Amaryllis family.
Amaryllis is beautiful
Luxurious look for open ground in the southern regions; critical winter minimum -5 °C (data given from the Encyclopedia of garden plants).
Amaryllis is beautiful. Photo from amazon.com. Amaryllis beautiful Barberton. Photo from deeproot.co.uk
Amaryllis belladonna originally from South Africa. Height – 60 cm, width – 10 cm. Leaves are 22-40 cm long. Flowers are funnel-shaped, pink, drooping; bloom in spring or summer.
Amaryllis beautiful Cape Town. Photo from deeproot.co.uk Amaryllis beautiful Hathor. Photo from mainlyamaryllidsgarden.com
Decorative varieties:
- ‘Barberton’ – dark pink flowers;
- ‘Cape Town’ – dark pink-red flowers;
- ‘Hathor’ – white flowers;
- ‘Johannesburg’ – light pink flowers;
- ‘Kimberley’ – carmine pink flowers with a white center.
Amaryllis beautiful Johannesburg. Photo from gardenersworld.com. Amaryllis beautiful Kimberley. Photo from google.ru
For amaryllis, open sunny places with drained fertile soils are selected. They are covered for the winter; when planting in containers, they are brought into the basement.
Gabranthus powerful
This is a relative of the zephyranthes, from which it differs in flowers located at an angle to the peduncle.
Gabranthus powerful, general appearance. Photo from flickriver.com. Bloom. Photo from edensblooms.com
Powerful Gabranthus (Habranthus robustus, syn. Zephyranthes robusta) originally from Brazil. Height – 20-30 cm, width – 5 cm. Winter minimum – 0°C. Best grown in containers.
Hymenocallis elegant
Exotic bulbous plant.
Hymenocallis is elegant, general appearance. Photo from cjzonneveld.com. Flowers. Photo from thompson-morgan.com
Hymenocallis x festalis- a hybrid 80 cm high, 30 cm wide, which has already been tested on the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory (hereinafter referred to as ChPKK), in sunny places with loose, drained soil rich in organic matter. In other regions it is better to grow it in containers (critical winter minimum +15 ° C). Blooms from late spring.
Hippeastrum hybrid
It can be grown (with shelter) in the open ground of ChPKK and on the Southern Coast of Crimea (hereinafter referred to as the South Coast).
Hippeastrum hybrid in open ground. Photo from the site glav-dacha.ru Hippeastrum hybrid in a flowerbed. Photo from the site vasha-klumba.ru
Hippeastrum x hybridum- these are dozens of varieties 30-50 cm high and up to 30 cm wide. A large bulb forms a nest of daughter bulbs, separating and growing which, they obtain excellent planting material.
More winter-hardy (winter minimum 0 °C) Acraman (H. x acramannii).
Hippeastrum acraman. Photo from s215.photobucket.com
Hippeastrums are undemanding to soils; Choose open sunny places for planting.
Zephyranthes
This name hides several types of bulbous plants with different flower colors. Fans of indoor floriculture know them as “upstarts”, but in the open ground they are real rarities, blooming in late summer - early autumn.
Zephyranthes white. Photo from easytogrowbulbs.com. His drawing. Photo from meemelink.com
Zephyranthes candida originally from Argentina, Uruguay; height - 10-20 cm, width - 8 cm. Withstands -5 ° C, so in the southern regions it can be left uncovered, but in other regions it can be grown in containers or well covered with humus and dry leaves.
Lemon zephyranthes, photo by Svetlana (Samdolis)
Z. grandiflora, syn. Z. carinata) native to Central America.
Zephyranthes grandiflora. Website photo from davesgarden
Height - 20-30 cm, width -5 cm. The flowers are pink, 7 cm long. It is thermophilic, so it is better to grow in containers.
Ixiolirion tartaris
Charming cold handsome man!
Ixiolirion tartaris. Photo from en.wikipedia.org. Drawing of a plant. Photo from ru.wikipedia.org
Tatarian Ixiolirion (Ixiolirion tataricum, syn. I. montanum, I. pallasii) native to Central and South-West Asia. Height – 24-40 cm, width – 5 cm. Bright blue flowers bloom in late spring – early summer. In central Russia it requires shelter (-15 °C is the overwintering ceiling). Propagated by daughter corms in the fall.
Krinum
Several evergreen representatives with large bulbs.
Krinum Moore, photo by the author
Crinum moorei– unpretentious, but heat-loving species: critical winter minimum 0°C. Height – 90 cm, width – 30 cm, white fragrant flowers 8 cm long; he is originally from South Africa. To maintain maximum decorative value, it is necessary to remove faded flowers in a timely manner.
Powell's Crinum x powellii– more winter-hardy: with shelter it will survive -15 °C.
Crinum Powell. Photo from turn-it-tropical.co.uk. White-flowered form Alba. Photo from ontheedgegardening.wordpress.com
Height – 1.5 m, width – 30 cm; funnel-shaped pink fragrant flowers up to 10 cm long. Decorative form ‘Alba’ (white flowers). Both species can be grown in containers in dachas in central Russia.
Krinum Mura in a rock garden, photo by the author
A big plus is the long flowering, which continues into the warm autumn.
Golden lycoris
An exquisite bulbous plant native to China and Japan. The winter minimum is within -5°C, we have already discussed the possibility of overwintering it: How realistic is it to overwinter lycoris in the middle zone?
Golden lycoris. Photo from google.ru
Golden lycoris (Lycoris aurea)– up to 60 cm high, 20 cm wide. The flowers are tubular, bright yellow, 10 cm in diameter, collected in groups of 5-6, bloom from late spring to summer. Blooms in a leafless state; preferably an open sunny place with well-drained fertile soils, does not tolerate waterlogging.
Nerina
Unusually graceful autumn flowering plants.
Nerina Bowden. Photo from google.ru. Its white-flowered alba form. Photo from jparkers.co.uk
Nerine bowdenii native to South Africa, but its winter minimum is -15 °C. Height – 45 cm, width – 8 cm. Pink flowers, 8 cm in diameter. Decorative form f. alba (white flowers).
Nerina flexuosa (N. flexuosa)– “countrywoman” of the previous species with the same parameters and white-flowered form.
Nerina is twisted. Photo from growsonyou.com. Its white-flowered form is Alba. Photo from dobies.co.uk
Nerines are very interesting for the ChPKK and the South Coast; in other regions they can be grown in containers. They cannot tolerate overwatering: the bulbs rot.
Pancratium, or pancratium Illyrian
Still rare “star lily” or “spider lily”.
Pancratium Illyrian, photo by the author
Pancratium illyricum comes from Corsica, Sardinia. Height – 40 cm, width – 15 cm; white flowers up to 8 cm in diameter, fragrant, bloom in late spring - early summer; When they fade, they are removed. The winter minimum is 0°C, so it can be recommended for ChPKK and South Coast with fertile loose soils and shelter. Responsive to fertilizing and watering. Propagated by daughter bulbs.
Sternbergia
In the south in October, this beauty suddenly appears from the ground.
Yellow Sternbergia, photo by the author
Yellow Sternbergia (Sternbergia lutea) grows naturally from Spain to Afghanistan. Height – 15 cm, width – 8 cm.
Sternbergia snow-white. Photo from pacificbulbsociety.org. Sternbergia Clusius. Photo from wildflowers.co.il.
More rare sh. snow-white (Sternbergia candida) - the only species with white flowers, w. Clusius (S. clusiana) and others.
Do you have rare amaryllis growing in your dacha?
