2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Nerine (lat. Nerine) - a flowering plant from the Amaryllis family. Its second name is nerina. By the way, this flower was named after the daughter of the sea elder Nereus - in ancient Greek mythology, sea nymphs were called Nereids!
Description
Nerine is a perennial bulbous plant with dark green, flat, linear leaves. The height of the bare stems of nerine can reach thirty centimeters. As for the diameter of the bulbs of this plant, it usually ranges from three to five centimeters.
The diameter of nerine flowers is on average about four centimeters, and the petals of these flowers, equipped with oblong anthers, can be painted both in pleasant pink tones, as well as in rich white, orange or red shades. In this case, the petals can be either straight or curved. All flowers of this plant are collected in spectacular umbellate inflorescences. And nerine fruits look like fancy compact boxes.
Where grows
The natural habitat of nerine is limited only to South Africa, however, as a cultivated plant, this beauty is now grown all over the world.
Usage
Nerine is quite actively used to compose compositions intended for interior decoration, and all this is due to her ability to maintain her decorative effect in water for a very long time. Moreover, this plant is ideal for composing men's bouquets!
Growing and caring
Nerine is best planted on well-drained, nutritious and light soils. This plant will feel very good in the prepared soil, designed specifically for bulbous plants. And for growing nerine at home, it is recommended to use containers corresponding to the size of the bulbs. At the same time, this beauty does not need transplants at all - from time to time, about once every two to three years, it will be enough just to seat the children.
It is worth noting that this beauty is very capricious, and the most important thing when growing it is to try to get it to bloom, because not always and not everyone succeeds in doing this even in the homeland of nerin, on distant plantations of South Africa!
Since nerine is very light-requiring, during the period of active growth, it is necessary to organize good lighting for her with little protection from direct sunlight. And the air temperature during this period should ideally be in the range from twenty to twenty-four degrees. Then, after flowering, the nerine is transferred to a cool shaded room, where the plant is kept at a temperature of eight to ten degrees. And, like many other bulbs, nerine categorically does not tolerate excessive waterlogging - it often entails rotting of the bulbs! Watering during the growing season should be moderate, and after the plant has faded, they should be reduced to a minimum. Nevertheless, watering should not be insufficient either, since in this case the flowers may begin to wither and fall off. Measure is good in everything! If this beauty is grown indoors, it is recommended to periodically spray it with soft warm water.
In addition, about once every three or four weeks, it is recommended to feed nerin with special fertilizers for bulbous plants - such fertilizing is given to the plant both during the period of active growth and at the stage of budding.
Reproduction of nerine is carried out using daughter bulbs. As for pests, this plant is most often affected by pseudo-scale insects, scale insects, nematodes and spider mites.
