Lily eucharis, home care of which is very simple, is an elegant flower with high decorative qualities. The widespread culture in the Amazon forests has led to the emergence of a second name - the Amazonian lily. The flower appeared on the European continent in the 19th century and gained worldwide recognition, which was confirmed by its massive cultivation in gardens and on window sills.
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Eucharis: features of cultivation
The eucharis flower, being a representative of the tropical jungle, is distinguished by its overall dimensions. Therefore, choosing it, it is worth considering the need for free space in the room where it will be located.
This is a bulbous plant, one onion of which accounts for 2 to 7 leaf blades. During flowering, eucharis flowers exude a wonderful aroma, which is not inherent in all pot plants.
Species diversity of eucharis
The genus of this tropical flower, belonging to the amaryllis family, includes about 20 species, among which the most common in culture are:
- Eucharis is large-flowered. Coming from the Colombian Andes, he has a bulb up to 6 cm in diameter and wide lanceolate leaf plates attached to long petioles.Before flowering, observed in May, August and late February, a peduncle develops up to 80 cm in height, which is crowned with an inflorescence of 3-6 white fragrant flowers.
- Eucharis is white. An onion of this species does not exceed 5 cm in diameter. Wide elliptical sheet plates with pointed edges taper to the base. In March, on top of a green peduncle, an umbrella inflorescence of 6-10 flowers of a snow-white color is formed.
- Eucharis Masters. The species stands out with oval wide leaves, rounded closer to the base, which develop on shortened petioles. Flowering is observed in early spring, when two umbellate inflorescences form on the peduncle.
- Eucharis Sandera. An industrial-grown species with oval, leaf-shaped, heart-shaped plates at the base. It blooms in February and April, when white flowers bloom with yellow pegs of the crown, collected 2-3 pieces in an umbrella. There are multi-flowered forms, umbrellas which consist of 4-6 flowers.
- Eucharis is gearless. The view is distinguished by oblong foliage of a triangular shape. Umbrella inflorescences of 6-8 flowers are formed on the narrowed peduncle.
Home Care
It is not difficult to look after an exotic flower, but it is necessary to do this comprehensively and systematically.
Lighting and location
In nature, the plant grows in the lower tier of the jungle, therefore it tolerates shading without problems, and if it comes in direct sunlight, it can get burns. The best option is to place the pot on the windowsill on the east or west side of the house. With good lighting, the plant will grow perfectly in the depths of the room.
Temperature
The heat-loving flower during the period of active growth feels comfortable at a temperature of 18 to 22 ° C. In winter, the temperature can be reduced to 15 ° C.
Advice! To preserve the decorativeness of the flower, strong temperature differences (more than 7 °) should be avoided.
Watering a flower
Eukharis needs a rare but plentiful hydration. The soil between waterings should have time to dry out - an excess of water provokes rotting of the bulbs. During dormancy, hydration stops completely.
Air humidity
This tropical plant needs an increased level of humidity, which can be achieved by constant spraying with warm, settled water. In winter, the plant needs additional hydration even more acutely due to the dry air caused by the operation of heating devices. In cases where spraying is not enough, the pot is placed on a pallet with wet pebbles. The flower also organizes a systematic refreshing shower.
Important! After ejection of the peduncle and until flowering is complete, spraying is stopped to prevent moisture from entering the inflorescences.
Fertilizer and fertilizer
Feeding of an exotic flower is carried out twice a month only in the phase of intensive growth and flowering. For additional nutrition, liquid complex fertilizers with a low nitrogen content are used.
How to transplant?
A flower transplant is carried out after flowering with an interval of three years, which is associated with the peculiarity of the flower, which consists in his love for a cramped space and a painful attitude to the disturbance of an earthen coma with roots.
During the procedure:
- a wide, rather cramped pot with a drainage layer of 2 cm broken brick is prepared;
- a flower with an old earthen lump is placed in the container, the bulbs should be buried no more than 5 cm from the surface;
- voids are covered with a nutrient substrate (soil requirements: sheet soil, peat, sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1) and compacted;
- after the procedure is completed, the pot is placed in a cooler place with slight shading;
- the first 10 days after transplantation, watering and top dressing are not carried out.
Advice! It is not necessary to separate the children at each transplant, planting them in separate containers - a single bulb does not give flowers for a long time.
Care after flowering
After the flower finishes flowering, dry peduncles are carefully cut so as not to damage the leaf plates that remain on the plant during dormancy. After flowering, the flower needs rest and is immersed in peace. Watering and top dressing are stopped until new sprouts appear, indicating the awakening of the Amazonian lily.
Pest and Disease Control
Despite the resistance of the culture to pest colonization, thrips, scale insects and spider mites are noted on the eucharis. Subject to the rules of care, such situations are extremely rare. However, if the problem was not avoided, then insecticidal preparations will help in the fight against harmful insects.
Among the diseases, the most common is gray rot, the reason for the development of which lies in high humidity at low temperature. In the case of a mild degree of infection, eucharis is treated with copper-containing fungicides. With the intensive development of a fungal disease, the affected areas are cut off to healthy tissue, and the plant is sprayed with fungicidal preparations.
Reproduction of eucharis
Eucharis propagates by generative and vegetative methods. However, due to the complexity and unproductiveness, the method of seed propagation is practically not used.
The most common option is breeding by children. When dividing the mother plant, parts with 4-5 bulbs are separated, which allows less damage to the root and creates conditions for faster rooting. With this method, flowering eucharis can be seen already in the current year.
Common growing problems
Despite the simplicity of care, some difficulties may arise when growing a representative of the rainforest.
Why does not eucharis bloom?
With a competent approach to cultivation, the flower pleases the owners with a flowering state 2-3 times a year. If flowering is not observed for a long time, then it is worth identifying the causes.
- Insufficient amount of planting material. To get flowers, 3-4 bulbs are planted in a pot as soon as possible, since single bulbs will not produce flowers until they are overgrown with children, which can take up to 5 years.
- Violation of the care regulations - drafts, temperature differences, imbalance in irrigation.
Advice! To stimulate the plant to the formation of sprouts, you should place the pot in a cool place, reduce watering and feeding.
The leaves turn yellow and die
If the leaves of the plant do not just turn yellow, which can be caused by hypothermia or improper watering, but also fall off, then you need to inspect the roots. With root rot, the affected areas are removed, injured areas are treated with an antiseptic, after which the flower is transplanted into a new substrate. If inspection of the root system has not yielded results, it is worth revising the correctness of the content of eucharis as a whole.
Signs and superstitions associated with the flower
It is believed that eucharis is a source of beneficial energy, while absorbing a negatively charged one. A flower has the ability to inflame the craving for knowledge, to open new horizons of possibilities, therefore it is an integral component of the interior of a children's room.
There are many signs associated with the plant. One of them says that if you add snow-white flowers of eucharis to the bride’s hair, it will protect her from the evil eye and bad thoughts of ill-wishers.
In the home, the flower acts as a talisman that can protect not only the owner, but also his relatives from adversity. If you believe the signs, then the sudden drying and death of a flower are associated with its ability to take serious ailments from the inhabitants of the house. There is also superstition, according to which the discarded peduncle with three inflorescences marks a quick replenishment.
Attention! When placing a pot in a house with young children or pets, one should not forget about the toxicity of eucharis - it contains the alkaloid lycorin.
Thus, decorative eucharis with a beautiful bouquet of greenery and flowers blooming alternately, enriching the room with oxygen and absorbing substances harmful to the human body, growing in an apartment environment is not difficult, but only if all the conditions of its maintenance are correctly fulfilled.
