Hymenokallis

Hymenokallis: flower description

Hymenokallis flower: photo of a houseplant

Hymenocallis (Hymenocallis) is a bulbous plant genus of the Amariollis family. It includes more than 50 species. Under natural conditions, it grows in the southern part of the American continent.

Their bulb resembles a large pear in shape and is covered with dry and shiny scales. When mature, the bulb becomes 10 centimeters in diameter. The arrangement of the vaginal sessile flat-branched leaves on the branches is alternate. The length of the leaves is 100 centimeters. Most of the leaves are frame-shaped with a sunken vein located in the center and a sharp tip. They are deep green in color and have a glossy finish. This plant can delight with evergreen leaves all year round, or it can shed its foliage during long dry periods. It all depends on which of the many species the plant belongs to.

Hymenocallis distinguish from all other plants for their unusual lovely flowers in the shape of a star. The calyx contains 6 narrow-linear sepals, which can grow up to 20 centimeters long. They have a greenish base, but the higher the higher, the more their color becomes like petals. Among other species, there are those that have bent tips on the sepals, and there are those that are completely curved and hang freely.

6 absolutely correct actinomorphic shape, cut at the tips, petals make up the corolla. 6 stamens grow together with them, as a result of which a crown is formed in the shape of a crown, the depth of which is 5 cm. There are species with stamens slightly less in length than sepals.

Oval and large stamens containing pollen are rich yellow or yellow with a tinge of orange. Fragrant flowers in the amount of 2 to 16 pieces are collected in inflorescences in the form of a shield or umbrella, together with two or three bracts. The length of the bare flowering shoot, on which there is a light flattened section, practically corresponds to the leaves. After the plant has faded, dense oval-shaped green fruits are formed on it containing a certain amount of large seeds.

Hymenokallis: indoor flower care

Hymenokallis flower: photo of a houseplant

Hymenokallis does not require special knowledge of care, it will not be difficult to do this. The main thing is to carry out watering activities correctly and on time and provide the plant with enough light.

Illumination

Hymenokallis is the most light-loving plant in its family. He loves the sun and will develop beautifully under its rays, he needs bright lighting. For him, a place on the window located in the southern part of the apartment, in the southwest or southeast is suitable. Having settled a plant somewhere else, it will not be able to demonstrate all the beauty of its flowering, and in the north it will not bloom at all.

In the summer, he will be very happy in an open garden area, terrace or balcony.

Hymenokallis species, which bloom during the winter months, need artificial lighting for at least 10 hours.

Required temperature

Spring and summer seasons in mid-latitudes and with moderate temperatures are well suited for normal flower growth and development. If it is not possible to provide additional light to the plant in winter, then it is necessary to create content for evergreen varieties at lower temperatures.For example, if you bring a vase closer to a window covered with a film, you can protect it using a transparent box. This will help reduce heat transfer to this handsome man. In the winter months, the thermometer should not fall below +14 and rise above +18 degrees. If you create artificial lighting, there is no need to lower temperatures.

Storage of Hymenokallis bulbs belonging to deciduous species should be carried out where the thermometer does not rise above 12 degrees, but not below 10, and it should also be dry there.

Watering rules

Watering activities are considered the most difficult when growing Hymenokallis. This is mainly due to the choice of the optimal irrigation regime. This plant chooses a place for itself in natural conditions on the banks of various reservoirs, in swampy areas, therefore, during the period when it begins to develop intensively, it needs to create appropriate conditions. To do this, the soil must always be kept moist. However, the liquid should not be allowed to stagnate, this leads to the development of rot on the bulb.

In winter, watering should be reduced. You can understand that the plant does not have enough water by the leaves, which are losing their elasticity. If this was noticed, then it is necessary to water the plant more often. Please note that watering of deciduous bulbs is not carried out during winter.

Water can be used only when settled and warm.

Humidity level

There is no need to artificially increase moisture in the air. Only as hygiene it is necessary to douse the plant from a warm shower, but only the leaves, moisture should not get on the buds and flowers.

Hymenokallis: planting an indoor flower

Hymenokallis flower: photo of a houseplant

Soil selection:

For Hymenokallis, loose soil with a large amount of nutrients and a low level of acidity is needed. You can use a variety of earthen mixtures, including those sold in specialized stores and nurseries specifically for bulbous plants. In such mixtures, in order to avoid rotting and increase the drainage of the soil, crushed charcoal is added.

If you make the earthen mixture yourself, then you can use leafy humus, sod land, and sand from the river in a 3x1x1 proportion.

It is necessary to plant such a flower in a large vase because of its powerful and rapidly growing roots. At the bottom of the pot, you need to lay out the drainage of their broken brick or gravel. This will prevent the water from stagnating. When planting a plant, you need to pay attention that the bulb remains a third above the soil surface.

Fertilization:

All feedings of Hymenokallis are applied during the period of plant activity, including when it blooms. Between dressings, an interval of 14 to 21 days should be done. Fertilizers sold in home-grown nurseries are perfect. They must be used according to the instructions in the instructions. When choosing a fertilizer, pay attention to the nitrogen content in it. Its amount should be small, otherwise the plant will actively gain green mass, but there will be no or very few flowers. In addition, the bulb may begin to rot.

During the rest period, the plant does not require feeding.

When to transplant:

Hymenokallis does not like to be disturbed, for this reason, the transplant should be carried out no more than once every 3 years.

Hymenokallis reproduction

Reproduction of Hymenokallis occurs by seed or with the help of daughter bulbs. The appearance of such bulbs occurs at the age of three years of the plant. Since the plants can be transplanted just then, you can take a moment and multiply the flower by separating the babies from the mother's bulb and transplanted into a separate pot.

Sowing seeds is carried out according to the instructions in the instructions.

Diseases and pests

Aphids, spider mites, thrips are insects that can cause serious damage to a beautiful, spectacular flower.If they are found, it is necessary to start processing the bushes as soon as possible with the help of insecticidal preparations.

As for diseases, here you can encounter gray rot that affects the bulbs. Most often, the disease manifests itself due to the fact that the bulb was damaged already during planting. For this reason, before planting, you must carefully examine it. If there are any manifestations of the disease on it, then this area must be carefully cut off and treated with charcoal. Of course, it makes sense to do this if the area of ​​the affected area is small. If the lesion is severe, then the bulb must be disposed of.

A common cause of rot development is stagnation of moisture in the soil, especially during the cold season.

Weak flowering or its complete absence is associated with a lack of lighting, with an incorrect temperature regime in winter and with a lack of nutrients due to rare dressings.

Common names

Hymenokallis flower: photo of a houseplant

Hymenokallis is also called the spider lily and the Peruvian lily. In addition to these, there are many other names.

Some botanists with extensive experience provide data on such a name as Ismene, which is synonymous with Hymenokallis. But most breeders insist that these plants have nothing in common and belong to a different genus. But it should be noted that it was hymenocallis that was used for excretion and change. The presence of a false stem in izmen clearly distinguishes it from hymenokallis. Its formation occurs when foliage dies. In addition, they are distinguished by flowering shoots. Ismene has flowers in a horizontal position, while the spectacular flowers of the second are in an upright position. The crown of the hymenokallis is of the same color, while in the case of change it has a longitudinal evil stripe. Some signs of narcissus hymenocallis are similar to change, so they can be talked about as plants of the same genus. Ismene is also called daffodil, it has horizontal bent pedicels, and the place where petals grow together with stamens of a dark green color.

There is often confusion between pancratium and hymenocallius. This is due to their flower similarity. In fact, they belong to a different genus. You can tell the difference by looking at the foliage. In the first, they are tough, narrow, in a small amount of gray-blue color, on which there is a bluish tint, and are similar to succulent species. The second has a lot of foliage of a rich green color and with a glossy surface.

Varieties of hymenokallis

• Caribbean (Hymenocallis caribaea)gardeners most often choose this particular type. The Antilles are famous for these evergreens that grow freely on their territory. This plant does not go into vegetative dormancy. The dark green leaves of a narrow lanceolate shape grow up to 90 centimeters long, while the width does not exceed 7 centimeters. Flowering occurs in winter and lasts up to 4 months. The flower stalk is decorated with a zone-shaped inflorescence located at its apex. Inflorescences are collected from large snow-white flowers, which can be from 3 to 5 pieces. The length of the narrow sepals is 7 centimeters.
  

Hymenokallis flower: photo of a houseplant

• Early (Hymenocallis festalis)- is actively used for growing in an apartment. This species grows freely in Peru, but in the subtropics and tropics they love to grow it as a garden plant. The leaves of a belt-like shape of dark green color have a glossy surface and their length does not exceed 60 cm. The beginning of flowering occurs in mid-spring, and ends only in July. White flowers reach 10 cm in diameter. The crown is large and opens wide. The sepals are curved and fold into neat rings.
• Daffodil (Hymenocallis amancaes)- this plant pleases with its green leaves all year round and grows in Peru near the mountainous regions. The sword-shaped leaves are colored dark green.On yellow flowers there is a large and wide crown that absorbs all the stamens, leaving only dust. The crown is half as long as the sepals. There are varieties whose flowers are colored white or purple. Flowering lasts 90 days, starting in July.
  

Hymenokallis flower: photo of a houseplant

• Beautiful (Hymenocallis speciosa)- Such a Hymenokallis grows in natural conditions, this evergreen beauty in the Antilles. The leaves have a lanceolate elliptical shape, the length of which is 60 centimeters. The leaf rosette is one third lower than the peduncle, on which the inflorescence is formed, the shape of which is similar to an umbrella and consists of flowers as white as snow, which can be from 5 to 16 pcs. The diameter of each flower is about 15 cm.The sepals bend in an arc, their length is about 7 cm.
• Cordifolia (Hymenocallis cordifolia)-This species should not be confused with others, due to the existing strong differences. Leaves located on long stalks resemble an elongated heart. The narrow, drooping individual parts of the calyx of such a Hymenokallis are not covered with a crown. The flowers are white.
• Tubiflora (Hymenocallis tubiflora)- South America and Trinidate can boast of this plant growing freely in natural conditions. The flowers bear a resemblance to the hymenokallis cordifolia. But the leaves located on the petioles have a wide lanceolate shape.
  

Hymenokallis flower: photo of a houseplant

Not many varieties of Hymenokallis can be grown at home. They mostly have white or yellow flowers. They can vary in crown size and in sepals of various shapes. Greater preference is given to variegated forms of Hymenokallis, whose leaves are painted along the edge with stripes of white or yellow with a green tint.