The amaryllis plant, which comes from South America, is a real miracle of flowers. The Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) is popularly known as the Knight's Star. During the gloomy season, it delights with its more or less large flowers in burgundy to pink to white. These bulbous plants are very suitable for Christmas decorations. The subtropical plant is relatively care-intensive until its impressive flowers appear. Amaryllis places special demands on watering.

Dose the water correctly

From the end of October to April, the winter-flowering onion flower has one, sometimes two, flower stalks, each with four flowers from one bulb. This usually has a circumference of 20 to 28 centimeters and the flower stalks can easily reach a height of between 50 and 80 centimeters. With good care, the flowers last up to three weeks.

However, this also includes the right dose of water. If the amaryllis is not watered enough, it will weaken and the formation of flowers will be endangered. On the other hand, too much water can lead to root rot and the plant will eventually die without quick help. In other words, the knight star can be very sensitive to watering. Therefore, you should always pay attention to a few things when watering:

  • Avoid waterlogging
  • Do not wet the onion
  • Water between outer layers of the onion encourages mold and rot
  • Using room temperature water
  • if possible, do not water from above
  • ideally pour water into the saucer
  • Plant draws the amount of water it needs
  • Pour off excess water from the saucer
  • alternatively, insert drainage in the pot made of gravel, broken pottery or expanded clay
  • Roots are then not too wet
  • The pot must have sufficient drainage holes

The soil substrate should always be moist, but never wet.

Notice: The Ritterstern is also suitable for hydroponics. For this purpose, however, all roots should be carefully removed beforehand.

Water differently throughout the year

It is important when cultivating amaryllis that you should not water them all year round. This subtropical plant is a geophyte. The life cycle of these plants depends on the available water supply and the prevailing temperature.

Due to the existing underground storage organs, the plant spends some time of the year underground. In favorable conditions, the leaves and flowers will eventually sprout. At the same time, the plant collects nutrients and stores them in the bulb. When growth is complete, the leaves are retracted and the amaryllis rests until the next growth phase. The bulbous plant goes through three different life cycles.

flowering phase

As already mentioned, the amaryllis is a winter bloomer. The flowers appear from early November to March/April. In early winter, the onions are driven by placing them in fresh substrate. From this point on, they now require copious watering. The newly planted bulb is thoroughly watered.

The next watering is only done when the first shoot tip appears at the upper end of the bulb. Then the plant can also move to its final location. At first, the watering is still a bit restrained, but regular. During flowering, the amaryllis needs sufficient moisture so that the flowers can develop well. It should be noted

  • allow the surface of the soil to dry slightly between waterings
  • water weekly
  • Avoid waterlogging
  • no application of fertilizer
  • Nutrients are taken from the onion

Notice: All plant parts of the knight star are highly toxic. Larger amounts of toxic alkaloids are mainly contained in the onion. These can lead to skin irritation and, in the worst case, to cardiac arrhythmias. Caution is also required if children and pets live in the household.

growth phase

After flowering in spring, the actual growth phase of the plant begins. This lasts until the beginning of August. The flowers wither, and in their place long, strap-like leaves sprout. During growth, new energy is created for the coming bloom in the following year.

Now the watering needs to be adjusted as well. The amaryllis now needs more moisture to form the appropriate leaf mass and nutrients. During the summer months, the knight star can also move into a sheltered, warm spot outdoors. Here, however, it has to be watered more often than in the room. When pouring, the following must be observed:

  • regular watering
  • two times a week
  • Substrate must not dry out completely
  • Let the surface of the soil dry slightly between waterings
  • then pour thoroughly
  • Avoid waterlogging
  • fertilize once a week
  • Use of liquid fertilizer for flowering plants
  • Administration of fertilizer in the irrigation water

Especially in summer, when the temperatures are higher, evaporation is relatively high, which means that the plant also needs water. Therefore, the moisture content of the substrate should be checked every two to three days.

rest period

At the end of July to the beginning of August, the break finally begins. This lasts until the end of October / beginning of November. The leaves turn yellow, wither and are drawn in. The nutrients are now transferred from the leaves to the bulb for storage. Now the knight star hardly needs any water. There is less watering before the watering stops completely at the end of August. During the approximately five-week rest period, the onion must

  • cool
  • dry and
  • dark

stand. At the end of November it is repotted in fresh substrate and watered well. If the rest period is not observed and the amaryllis continues to be watered normally, no flowers will form.

If the plant receives enough light, water and nutrients over the summer, small daughter bulbs will gradually form. These can be carefully separated from the mother onion after the rest period.

Notice: Onions and leeks also belong to the amaryllis family.

Category:

Indoor plants