The beautifully flowering Gloriosa plant with climbing stems is part of the Liliaceae family. Under natural conditions, such a vine can have a length of about 200 cm. In indoor conditions, this perennial plant has an average growth rate, with the maximum length of its stems being slightly more than 100 cm. The foliage grows throughout the season. In winter there is a period of rest.
Gloriosa flowering begins in mid-July and ends in mid-October. The spectacular scalloped flowers have an unusual shape, their petals are bent back. This liana comes from Africa and is found exclusively in tropical latitudes. In nature, this plant can also be found in India. It is also very widespread in Australia, where it is considered a weed that suppresses beneficial plants.
Brief description of cultivation
The tropical vine Gloriosa is able to grow normally indoors only if favorable conditions are created for it as close as possible to natural ones:
- Temperature . In the warm season, not lower than 20 degrees, and in the winter months - not higher than 15 degrees.
- Air humidity . The humidity level should be high (at least 65 percent).
- Illumination . The light should be bright, but diffused. An eastern or western window sill is ideal for vines.
- Watering . In winter, watering is not carried out. In the summer months, the soil mixture in the pot is moistened abundantly, and in the fall, watering should be scanty and infrequent.
- Substrate . A ready-made universal flower soil mixture will do. To prepare it, you need to combine peat, turf and leaf soil, taken in equal parts.
- Fertilizer . Fertilizing is carried out during the flowering period twice a month. To do this, use an aqueous solution of mineral fertilizer.
- Transplant . Every year in spring, young tubers are planted.
- Reproduction . By tubers and seed method.
- Rest period . In winter time.
- Features of care . Be sure to install a support during transplantation of the bush, along which its shoots will climb. If you install the support later, this may lead to breakage of the shoots or injury to the tuber.
Curly lily. Gloriosa Rodschild. Website "Garden World"
Garter
The stems of Gloriosa are very fragile and can easily break off if handled carelessly. They cannot wrap themselves around a support, so as they grow, they need to be tied up.
Important. Do not install the support directly in the plant pot. This can damage the root system. As a last resort, the pegs are placed at the maximum distance from the tuber.
A large mesh made of thin bamboo branches or a semicircular arch made of flexible and durable vine will serve as a support.
Caring for Gloriosa at home
Temperature
This plant is heat-loving. In order to ensure its normal development, you need to try to adhere to the recommended temperature regime. In summer, the optimal air temperature is from 23 to 25 degrees. From the beginning of September, a gradual decrease in temperature begins. In winter, the temperature in the room where the liana is located should not exceed 14 degrees. The plant reacts extremely negatively to sudden changes in temperature, this can cause its death.
In the warm season, gloriosa can be moved to the balcony. In this case, choose a place for it that has reliable protection from the wind.
Air humidity
This indoor culture needs high air humidity (the optimal level is from 55 to 70 percent). If the air is excessively dry, this may cause a lack of flowering.
Flower growers use various methods to increase air humidity. The bush can be regularly sprayed with a spray bottle, but only if there are no flowers on it. During the flowering period, an open vessel with water is placed near the vine, or the pot is placed on a deep tray with wet pebbles, or a household humidifier is used.
Illumination
In order for the bush to grow normally and bloom effectively, it needs to be provided with a large amount of bright, diffused light. The best option for placing the vine is a window sill with a western or eastern orientation. You cannot place a gloriosa on the north window, as it is too dark there. At the same time, a southern windowsill is also not suitable for such a flower, since direct rays of the sun can leave burns on the foliage.
Watering
This tropical liana is distinguished by its moisture-loving nature. However, you should not allow moisture to stagnate in the substrate, as this can destroy the bush. The plant is not afraid of short drought. However, if the soil mixture has dried out 1/3 deep, then it urgently needs to be moistened. In order for Gloriosa to feel comfortable, it needs to be watered on time and moderately. In the summer, this plant experiences intensive development and flowering, so watering during this period should be more abundant and frequent. In the autumn months, the room becomes cooler, so the frequency and abundance of watering is gradually reduced. When the vine is dormant in winter, it is not watered.
Well-settled, slightly warm water is suitable for moistening the substrate in the pot. Watering is recommended in the early morning or evening. This promotes longer moisture retention.
Choosing a pot
To choose a pot for planting gloriosa, you must take into account the size and characteristics of the bush. If the plant is planted in an overly spacious pot, then you will not expect it to bloom. After separating the young nodules from the parent tuber, they are planted in a container that should not be more than 15 centimeters in diameter.
When choosing the width of the flowerpot, you should take into account the size of the planting material, while its height depends on both the size of the tuber and the thickness of the drainage layer.
Substrate
To grow gloriosa, choose a fertile neutral soil mixture that allows air to pass through well. To prepare your own substrate, combine turf and leaf soil with peat (1:1:1).
Also, for such a plant, a purchased ready-made soil mixture for flowering crops is suitable. To increase looseness, a small amount of brick chips, vermiculite or foam balls is added to any soil mixture.
Fertilizer
Feed the tropical liana only during flowering, this allows you to increase its duration. Also, thanks to timely fertilizing, it will be possible to achieve more luxuriant flowering, and the color of the flowers will be brighter. Feed the bush regularly twice a month after evening watering. After this, it is shaded for 24 hours.
For feeding, use a universal mineral fertilizer with a high content of potassium and phosphorus. The nutrient mixture is diluted with water twice. In the autumn-winter period, fertilizers are not added to the substrate.
Gloriosa transplant
The vine is replanted annually in spring. At the bottom of the container, make a thick drainage layer, which is sprinkled with soil mixture. Young nodules are characterized by increased fragility. After they are separated from the parent bush, they are carefully planted in a pot without dividing them into parts. Place the nodules horizontally in the container.
During planting, make sure that the upper fragment of the nodule rises 2.5 centimeters above the surface of the substrate. Next, install the support, after which the planting needs to be watered. Then wait until the liquid is completely absorbed and the substrate settles a little. After this, you need to add a small amount of substrate into the pot.
The planted gloriosa is kept in the shade for 1 week. After 15 days after planting, begin regular feeding.
Trimming
This vine does not require pruning. It does not contribute to increased branching of the bush and, moreover, has a negative effect on flowering. The fact is that the formation of flowers occurs in the upper part of the stems. And if you cut off the tops of the shoots, it will take a very long time for the bush to recover and be able to bloom.
HOW TO PLANT GLORIOSA
Bloom
Indoor gloriosa is distinguished by its spectacular and unusual flowers. First, long (about 20 centimeters) peduncles appear, on which drooping single flowers are formed. They can reach about 15 centimeters in diameter. The petals have a scalloped surface, and their color is most often two-tone. During the entire flowering period, the color of the petals may change.
Some gloriosa species are distinguished by the fact that their petals are curved upward. Up to 7 flowers can form on the stem at the same time, and they open alternately. This culture blooms in the summer. When the bush fades, in place of the flowers, fruits are formed, which are a box containing seeds inside.
#513.How Gloriosa blooms
