2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
A lesser known member of the Amaryllidaceae family is the bulbous plant called Gemantus. The newcomer from South Africa, growing on the windowsills of living quarters and swarming institutions, is often called by completely different names, not suspecting that he is a relative of such more famous indoor plants as clivia, amaryllis, hippeastrum or large-flowered bulbous eucharis
Rod Gemantus
The genus Hemantus (Haemanthus) owes its name to the blood-red umbrella inflorescences crowning fearless and strong flower stalks. And, although among the hemantus there are flowers of the purest whiteness, they are forced to also bear this name.
Representatives of the genus are bulbous tender plants that can be deciduous or evergreen. Broad, belt-like leaves are few in number and at an early stage are similar to tulip leaves. Unlike tulips, strong flower stalks of hemantus appear above the ground, away from the leaves, sometimes before the leaves appear.
Umbrella inflorescences are surrounded by bright bracts of the same color as the flowers of the inflorescence. They can be white, bright orange, red.
The fruit is a berry, round and fleshy, with black seeds that should not be stored for a long time, as they quickly lose their germination.
Varieties
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White-flowered Gemantus (Haemanthus albiflos) is the most frequent African guest on our windowsills. For its wide leaves, rounded at the ends and ciliated along the edge, the plant is often called "Cow's tongue" or "Deer tongue", and some associate it with "Elephant ear". Plant height 25-30 centimeters.
Umbellate dense inflorescences on short peduncles appear in June-August. The inflorescence is collected from narrow white flowers with long stamens and yellow anthers.
The Bloody Flower variety produces bright orange inflorescences.
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Gemantus bright red (Haemanthus coccineus) - strong stalks 25-30 centimeters long appear in August, showing the world wide inflorescences (up to 8 cm in diameter) of red flowers. Flat, wide leaves appear after flowering, in September. Thus, the plant is classified as deciduous.
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Gemantus Katerina (Haemanthus katherinae) is another deciduous species of Hemantus. Its large oval-shaped leaves have a wavy edge. Strong peduncles up to 50 centimeters in height in July-August show the world wide (up to 15 cm in diameter) umbellate inflorescences, collected from numerous reddish-pink flowers.
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Gemantus multiflorous (Haemanthus multiflorus) is a tall (up to 90 cm tall) deciduous plant with oblong-lanceolate leaves. At the end of spring, inflorescences (up to 15 cm in diameter), collected from numerous scarlet flowers, appear on high and strong peduncles.
Growing
Both warm and cool rooms are suitable for Gemantus. A well-lit place is chosen for them. In summer, if possible, pots with plants are taken out into the open air, placing them in partial shade.
The soil for them is prepared from a mixture of neutral peat, sterilized garden soil and sand, taken in equal amounts. When planting bulbs on a bucket of soil, add 10-15 grams of complete mineral fertilizer with prolonged action. Before flowering, twice a month, the plant is fed with complex fertilizer, combining top dressing with watering.
During the growing season, regular watering is required. When the leaves turn yellow, the pot is placed in a cool (not lower than 10 degrees Celsius), but bright place, significantly reducing watering.
Planting is carried out in the spring, deepening the bulb by half, or by two-thirds of its height.
To maintain the appearance, damaged leaves and wilted flowers are removed.
Reproduction and transplantation
Propagated by seeds, not forgetting that they quickly lose their germination, or by young onion babies. When propagating by children, which are separated from the mother plant in the spring, when the plant is transplanted into larger pots, flowers do not appear earlier than after a couple of years.
Diseases and pests
Damaged by gray rot, aphids, thrips, spider mites.
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