Hemanthus or "deer tongue" - a flower from the Amaryllis family, the genus Bulbous. Grows in the tropics of Africa, forests, on the slopes of the mountains. It got its name because of the shape of leaves resembling deer tongue. Greek translates as "bloody flower."
This evergreen plant was brought to Europe in the 18th century by Karl Linney, a famous botanist. It turned out to be unpretentious, quickly adapted to the new continent. Varieties of it bloom not only red, but also white, orange.
Description of Hemanthus
Hemanthus grows from a bulb, has hanging leaves, arranged in pairs opposite each other, their color varies depending on the variety. They also vary in shape: wide, round on the side, elongated, with pointed edges, updated annually. Covered with a short fluff, smooth, sticky. Bulbs are dense, with scales.
It blooms in summer, some varieties in autumn. Umbrella inflorescences appear in July or August, the aroma is not very pleasant, orange fruits ripen by December, the seeds are used for reproduction. "Deer tongue" is capable of self-pollination.
A variety of types of hemanthus
There are more than forty species of hemanthus. In addition to indoor, there are varieties for decoration on the street. Katarina and Belotsvetkovy most common among flower growers.
| Grade | Description |
| Katarina | A distinctive feature in the elongated narrow leaves, wavy along the edges. Located on a high wide stalk, up to 15 cm long. Bright red flowers appear in spherical inflorescences on the arrow. |
| White-flowered | The base variety, many hybrids are derived from it. Wide, dense oval leaves 20 cm long, smooth on top, with hairs on the edge. White inflorescences with yellow anthers on top, because of this he looks like dusted with powder. Peduncle short, thick. Pleases with flowering from late summer to mid-winter. |
| Prince albert | Formed from white-flowered hemanthus, bred by breeders, characterized by twice as large inflorescences and orange color. |
| Pomegranate | Long wavy green leaves, burgundy petals on the edges of orange umbrellas. |
| Brindle | The species is distinguished by spotting, small, spherical bright red flowers. |
| White (candidus) | Boiled white with short fluffy villi. |
| Cinnabar | It has two or four elongated leaves, a high peduncle, round, blooms early, in April. |
| Multifloral (scadoxus) | Light red flowers are located on a long peduncle, veined leaves. |
| Linden | Variety for open ground, it has six wide and long leaves, similar to lilies of the valley, bright red. |
| Scarlet | It is characterized by red-pink umbrellas and leaf edges. |
Hemanthus care at home
Indoor "deer tongue" prefers illuminated places, but does not like sunlight. Leaving is not difficult, unpretentious at home, pleases with its beauty.
The flower normally tolerates dry air, even near the battery. Usually place it on the east, west side, in the summer you can take it outside.
Sometimes you need to clean the leaves from dust with a damp sponge.
The optimum temperature is + 18 ... +22 ° C. In the summer, they pour over melt, settled water, after drying the soil by 2 cm. Regularly drain the water from the pan. Spraying is not required.
Overdrying the flower is not afraid. Evergreen species do not need watering during dormancy. In spring, in summer, hemanthus should be fertilized with mineral mixtures for the bulb, 1-2 times per month. It is necessary to loosen the soil in a pot.
Bloom
Hemanthus blooms in summer, blooms until November, the smell is specific. Flowering is achieved under certain conditions. He needs watering in the summer, rest in the winter, observing the optimum temperature for the seasons.
Regular top dressing contributes to flowering; small dishes are needed for it. If the fruit will not be used for propagation, peduncles are cut.
Rest period
Since October, a dormant period begins, the leaves dry out, they are cut. Watering is limited. Contain a flower at a temperature of + 12 ... 15 ° C. The soil should be slightly moist.
In February, the plant is replanted, then watering is resumed. In winter, the hemanthus is kept in a dark place.
Transfer
The plant is transplanted once every 2-3 years, while the formed bulbs are separated. This is done in late February - early March to quickly root the flower.
The soil for planting should consist of turf, leafy soil, humus, sand equally. The capacity is needed wide and shallow, drainage is laid out at the bottom. The bulb is planted in depth one-third.
It should be remembered that the plant is poisonous, be sure to use protective equipment.
Breeding
Hemanthus propagation is carried out in three ways - cuttings (leaves), seeds, bulbs.
The outer leaves are cut, first they are treated with charcoal, dried, then planted in peat with sand. When the bulbs appear, they are separated. Hemanthus will bloom in 3-4 years.
So that the seeds do not lose their germination, they are immediately sown on a light substrate consisting of greenhouse, deciduous, soddy soil with the addition of peat and bone meal.
Powder and recess are not required. Place under a film, maintaining humidity. Thus, flowering occurs in five years.
The daughter bulbs are separated, transplanted into another container. Three years later, inflorescences will appear.
Hemanthus Care Mistakes
With improper care, the hemanthus may not bloom - due to the high temperature in winter, lack of light, watering, and too spacious a container. The most frequent:
- Rotting of the bulbs occurs, which means that the plant is affected by a fungal infection.
- Gray coating occurs due to hard watering.
- Yellow spots on the leaves appear when it is placed in the sun or too abundant watering.
- The bottom pair of leaves turns yellow, which means the flower is preparing for a state of rest.
- Black buds indicate cold air or high humidity.
- Leaves fall at the end of the season - new ones will appear in spring.
Dishes for growing a flower should be only four centimeters larger than the bulb.
Pest Diseases
The plant is affected by fungal diseases and insects attack:
- Staginosporosis, it is the Amaryllis that threatens - red-orange spots, stripes appear on leaves, peduncles, buds, bulbs, called red rot. It is necessary to remove the infected places, make a plant transplant, while cutting off the affected parts of the bulbs. To treat with preparations for fight against fungal (Oksik, Fundazolum), copper sulfate.
- Spider mite - forms a thin web, colorless dots appear. Spray with Actellik, Actara.
- Scaffold - first remove it with a cotton swab dipped in soapy water, then shower the flower with a shower, spray with malathion.
- Gray rot - necrotic spots are formed, the plant is thrown away, this disease is not amenable to treatment.
- Aphids and thrips can also appear on the hemanthus. Treat with special chemicals.
In order to prevent diseases, the substrate for the flower should be decontaminated, checked regularly for pests. Excessive watering can damage more than drought.
