Heat-loving Crinum

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Krinum, in addition to coastal zones, is often also grown in water bodies. And some of its types are great for greenhouses with ponds or large aquariums. Among the finest aquatic varieties of krinum, there are giant krinum, aquatic krinum, swimming krinum and luxurious Thai krinum

Getting to know the plant

This very nice bulbous plant is a member of the Amaryllis family. Krinum is a magnificent herbaceous perennial that differs from other amaryllis in its enormous size. In nature, there are about one hundred and fifty species of it.

Crinum stalks gradually grow out of its bulbs. The tops of the stems are equipped with rosettes consisting of rather shiny smooth leaves. The leaves are deep green in color. At the very tops of the peduncles, the length of which can be up to eighty centimeters, pale pinkish flowers with a diameter of about twelve centimeters are formed. The flowers can also be white or a pleasant crimson hue. All flowers form solid umbellate inflorescences, which can be either sessile or located on short legs.

Krinum fruits are seed-filled capsules. Fleshy and rather large seeds contain in the endosperm a sufficient supply of moisture for their germination.

It should be noted that absolutely all parts of this plant contain a very poisonous krinin.

The length of the impressive leaves of the Thai krinum can easily reach as much as two meters. In most cases, the leaves of this wonderful aquatic plant are located on the very surface of the water, somewhat remotely resembling a serpentine.

Application of krinum

Aquatic krinum are great for medium to relatively small sized bodies of water. They are also suitable as aquarium plants.

How to grow

Krinum is an extremely thermophilic plant, therefore, for its cultivation, preference should be given to areas that are reliably protected from a piercing wind and rather sunny. In principle, it can also grow in open, slightly shaded areas.

Crinum propagates with the help of daughter bulbs, which are separated immediately during transplantation. Crinum forms such daughter bulbs infrequently - once every three years.

Soils for growing krinum are humus-rich, well-drained and loose. Its aquatic varieties are placed in containers filled with fertile soil, which are subsequently placed near the water surface. In this case, the water temperature should be high enough, but in this case, absolutely any lighting is allowed. Well, the water for growing krinum should not contain calcium in large quantities.

Regularly, the krinum should be watered abundantly with water at room temperature. This is done as the upper layers of the substrate dry up. When the period of its flowering changes its dormant period, you need to dig up the krinum bulbs and store them in the cold season in cool and dry places, if possible.

As for aquatic species of krinum, it is permissible to place them in reservoirs exclusively in the warm season, but for the winter they should be moved to aquariums. With the onset of the dormant period, the krinum bulbs must be removed from the water and always kept raw - it is impossible to dry the bulbs of the aquatic varieties of this plant.

Crinum growing in aquariums grows at an incredible rate, so the sides or back walls will be the best location for the bulbs. When growing this pretty guy in an aquarium, you need to provide him with daylight for at least twelve hours.

An adult crinum, grown as a houseplant, tolerates a transplant very poorly; therefore, it is recommended to transplant it no earlier than once every three to four years. Transplant containers are selected as large as possible, since the entire volume of the pots is very quickly filled with the roots of the bulbs. For transplanting mature bulbs, containers with a diameter of about 30 - 35 cm are most suitable.

During growth and flowering, krinum is fed every two weeks. And during the dormant period, there is no need to fertilize it.

With insufficient air humidity, krinum can be attacked by annoying spider mites. This aquatic beauty is also not insured against aphids and the most unpleasant gray rot.