Zephyranthes - home care for a flower
Content:
Zephyranthes definitely stands out from other indoor flowers with its unusual foliage and vibrant bloom. Large buds look very beautiful on the small dense foliage of the flower. What kind of flower is it and how to plant it at home is described below in the article.
Zephyranthes - what is this flower and why is it called an upstart
The flower's official botanical name comes from two Greek words meaning "west wind" and "flower". But among the people another name for the plant is firmly entrenched - upstart, because of its strange behavior during flowering. The fact is that immediately after the appearance of the peduncle, the zephyranthes, after a couple of days, already gives the first buds.
Zephyranthes - the flower of the western winds, or upstart
A bulbous plant in indoor conditions does not grow more than 50 cm in height. The bulb of the bush has a diameter of about 4 cm. The leaf plates, depending on the variety, can be xiphoid or belt-shaped. The foliage is painted in a rich solid dark green color. Long, but narrow leaves are up to 40 cm long and at least 2 cm wide.
Peduncles are tubular and grow up to 30 cm in length. Inflorescences in the form of stars are 8-10 cm in diameter. The color of flowers can be of various shades: white, yellow, pink, red.
The benefits of zephyranthes in everyday life
In everyday life, zephyranthes are primarily used for medicinal purposes. It contains many acids, vitamins and biologically active substances. Zephyranthes leaf tinctures help treat diabetes, tuberculosis, and relieve joint pain.
Types of Zephyranthes
More than 40 species of upstart grow in their natural environment. But at home, only 12 varieties of this plant are grown. Zephyranthes pink and white are especially popular.
Zephyranthes white (Zephyranthes candida)
Zephyranthes white is a very tall plant that in nature can reach 3 m in height. Usually the flower begins to bloom only in autumn, sometimes it can bloom in winter with snow-white flowers.
Zephyranthes grandiflora
Zephyranthes large-flowered is a short plant with large flowers. The bright pink flowers have orange stamens in the middle. Zephyranthes large-flowered is famous for its long flowering, starting in early spring and ending with the onset of winter.
Zephyranthes versicolor
The flowers of zephyranthes multicolored have an unusual color, the petals are cream-colored in the middle, and brown at the edges. The plant blooms in winter and stops in March.
When it blooms and for what reasons it does not happen
Zephyranthes can bloom at any time of the year.Some species and varieties bloom only in winter, while others only in summer. Various external factors have a great influence on the flowering time: care, climatic conditions, soil quality.
Often the question arises among flower growers why zephyranthes does not bloom. The first reason for the lack of flowering is improper care or lack of it at all. Jumps in temperature, low levels of humidity in the room and the lack of fertilizing provoke not only the inability to give buds, but also the appearance of diseases.
Small flower bulbs
Planting and transplanting zephyranthes
How to care for marshmallows to avoid the appearance of diseases and prevent possible problems in flowering? First of all, you need to carry out the correct planting or transplanting a flower into a container.
The transplant is carried out only after the end of flowering, no matter what time of year it is. An upstart can retire at any time. The bulbs are carefully removed from the pots and cleaned of soil and dried scales. Before transplanting the bulbs to a new place, it is necessary to treat them with a strengthening and disinfecting saline solution.
The order of planting bulbs in a pot:
- Cover the bottom of the container with drainage material.
- Add some potting soil.
- Spread the bulbs at a distance of 3 cm from each other and straighten the roots.
- Cover with substrate.
- Pour with settled water and place the pot in a well-lit place.
How to choose a pot
Since more than three bulbs are usually planted in one pot at once, it is necessary to pick up a sufficiently spacious container. Pots should be wide, but not deep, since the diameter of the bulbs does not exceed 4 cm.When choosing the depth of the pot, it should be borne in mind that drainage material will be covered with a layer of 2-3 cm at the bottom. There must be holes at the bottom of the container.
Soil preparation
The soil should not be acidic, the optimal pH level is about 6. For planting, you need very loose soil, which must be mixed with river sand and humus or compost.
Home care for zephyranthes
Having decided to have a zephyranthes flower at home, taking care of it at home will not be difficult. The only thing you should pay attention to is the dormant period, for all upstarts it occurs at different times. Therefore, for each flower, care measures are taken at a specific time. Pruning and removal of dried and rotten leaves and buds is carried out after the flowering of the bush, this is possible both in autumn and spring.
Illumination and temperature conditions
Zephyranthes upstart is very picky about good lighting. The flower pot must be placed on the southern windowsills of the house. On hot summer days, the container can be rearranged to a more shaded place.
Hypothermia of the flower and sudden jumps in temperature should not be allowed. The plant responds to low temperatures by the absence of flowering. The optimum temperature for healthy flower growth is 22-25 ° C.
Watering rules and humidity
Caring for white marshmallows at home involves constant watering. The soil should be moist regularly, but at the same time, excessive watering should not be allowed. To avoid excess moisture and its stagnation in the soil, you need to loosen the soil in a pot by 2-3 cm after each watering.
The humidity level in the room should also not drop. Therefore, it is recommended to spray more often the aerial part of the bush with water from a spray bottle.
Top dressing
The bush begins to feed immediately after coming out of hibernation and continues until the next dormant period.Liquid fertilizers should be applied twice a month. Usually these are ready-made complex mineral fertilizers for ornamental flowering plants.
Reproduction of zephyranthes by bulbs and seeds
Zephyranthes are propagated by seeds and bulbs. To grow through seeds, it is necessary to plant seeds in the prepared soil to a depth of no more than one centimeter, and leave a distance of 2 cm.Cover with a film on top and leave in a warm place. Periodically you need to ventilate and water the soil. After the emergence of sprouts, the duration of airing is increased, and a week before the transplant, the box is kept completely open.
Separate the bulbs from the mother bush and plant in another container. It is important that the bulb has roots and is not damaged. The pot is placed in a bright place and watered periodically.
Yellowing of the leaf plates is a sign of a lack of feeding or light
Zephyranthes diseases and other problems
When growing an upstart, you can face the following problems:
- lack of flowering, which is caused by a lack of watering, dressing and hypothermia;
- rotting of the bulbs due to excessive watering and hypothermia;
- fungal diseases due to infections entering through cuts. Microbes can get into the soil during planting / transplanting;
- the appearance of pests: spider mites, whiteflies, scale insects.
Why zephyranthes leaves turn yellow
Often, even experienced flower growers wonder why the leaves of marshmallows turn yellow. There may be several reasons. First of all, this happens due to a lack of watering. Sometimes the cause is more serious, such as a lack of feeding or light. For beautiful green foliage, it is necessary to increase the nitrogen content of the fertilizing. If there is a lack of natural light, it is recommended to use artificial light in the form of lamps.
The upstart is popular in home floriculture.
The plant is uniquely constant flowering even in winter, which is why it is so popular in home floriculture. Moreover, caring for zephyranthes is very easy, even a beginner can handle it.
