Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Eucharis) or Amazonian lily is a bulbous plant with wide leaves of a rich dark green color, which grows mainly in the tropics.

Family: Amaryllidaceae.

Homeland – tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America.

Eucharis plant during flowering (with photo)

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

The Amazonian lily has globular bulbs covered with gray-brown scales, reaching 5 cm in diameter. In the description of the eucharis flower, its name is translated as “adorable”, and this applies not only to its flowers, but also to the lush foliage. Dark green glossy leaves grow on thin stems and have a wide oval shape. In width, the leaves reach 15 cm, and the petioles grow up to 30 cm in length. A groove runs along the center of the sheet, protruding from the bottom as a dense roller, and across the sheet there are clearly visible veins, which give the sheet a roughness to the touch. Each eucharis leaf is short-lived, growing no more than 1,5 years. Leaves are renewed gradually.

Before flowering, the eucharis plant produces a long peduncle, reaching 80 cm in length. The umbrella-shaped inflorescence develops within 2 weeks and contains 5 snow-white flowers, each up to 12 cm in diameter. It blooms twice a year – in late spring and early autumn.

The flowers bloom alternately and have a pleasant aroma. In some species, the number of flowers can reach 10 pieces, and the core can be yellow or green. And although the plant has the name “lily”, but visually its flower looks more like a daffodil. The flowering period can last up to 30 days, the culmination of which is the formation of a fruit – a three-lobed capsule with numerous seeds.

Take a look at the photo of what the eucharis plant looks like:

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

During the flowering period, the Amazonian lily dissolves large snow-white flowers, and during the rest period it pleases with lush glossy foliage.

Popular types, varieties and varieties of the eucharis indoor flower: photo and description

In nature, there are more than 20 species of the eucharis plant, of which the following are most often grown by flower growers:

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis toothless (E. subedentata).

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

E. white (E. Candida).

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

E. large-flowered (E. grandiflora).

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

E. Sander (E. sanderi).

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis Sandera and its variety – multiflora, more than anyone else, it looks like a lily. It is an indoor bulbous plant with broadly elliptical leaves, up to 30 cm long and 12-15 cm wide, on long petioles, dark green.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis white grows in the tropics of Colombia and on the slopes of the Andes, has an oval large bulb, elongated leaves with pointed ends, with clear veins. The length of the leaf can reach 40 cm, and the width is 15 cm, the color is rich green, and the leaf itself is glossy. Usually, with good care, there are 2-3 arrows. The peduncle is leafless, up to 60 cm in size. The flowers are large, white, with a crown, have a delicate pleasant aroma, collected in an umbrella-shaped inflorescence on a high peduncle. Blooms in February or in the first months of spring.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis toothless – native to the tropics, has elongated triangular leaves up to 24 cm in length. The bulb is round, covered with brown scales, up to 5 cm in diameter. The umbrella-shaped inflorescence contains up to 8 medium-sized flowers on short pedicels.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis large-flowered – a common variety suitable for indoor cultivation, native to the shores of the Amazon. This is a natural interspecific hybrid that appeared in nature by accident. It has a round bulb up to 5 cm in diameter. The leaves grow in pairs on one stem, have the shape of a pointed oval and are not too large (up to 25 cm in length). The color of the foliage is rich, the surface is slightly wrinkled, but dense, the central vein is lighter and clearly visible. The peduncle grows up to 0,8 m in height, the inflorescence includes up to 6 large flowers with a yellow center and snow-white petals.

The most popular in floriculture is the large-flowered eucharis, which has a number of varieties.

Some of them:

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis amazonica.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis bakeriana.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis mastersii.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis bouchei.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis lowii.

Consider in the photo how similar all types of eucharises are to each other, and minor differences appear only in some botanical features:

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Requirements for caring for eucharis at home (with video)

The home spectacular eucharis flower is an unpretentious plant, and can successfully grow and delight its owners with incredible flowering in almost any room. Eucharis is photophilous, but it grows well and blooms in partial shade. Any window will suit him, the only necessary condition is that the Amazon lily must be reliably protected from direct sunlight. In summer, it can be taken out into the garden or on the balcony, but it is undesirable to leave it outdoors on cold nights, which are already at the end of summer. It is necessary to protect from autumn frosts, and in winter bring it into a room or a greenhouse with a temperature of at least 15-18 ° C.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Requirements for environmental conditions for caring for eucharis (Amazonian lily) at home are to ensure the following parameters:

  • Temperature regime.
  • Air humidity.
  • Correct lighting.
  • Sufficient watering.
  • Timely transplant and pruning.

In general, the Amazonian lily is not a capricious houseplant, so caring for it will be pleasant, not difficult, and even inexperienced growers will like it. To grow eucharis and provide high-quality care, it is advisable to use wide volumetric flowerpots, since the plant bulbs grow quite quickly. In addition, the planting capacity must be stable, since the plant is sufficiently voluminous and tall. There must be holes for excess moisture to escape. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the flowerpot, and only then a nutrient substrate, which should be prepared from leafy soil, compost, coarse sand and loamy soil in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 0,5.

Before caring for eucharis (Amazonian lily) at home, it is important to create a suitable microclimate for its growth. The plant prefers diffused lighting, but develops well and blooms in partial shade. The hot sun can be detrimental to the eucharis. If the only option for placing a flowerpot is a southern window, then it is imperative to shade the glass in the heat.

The Amazonian lily is thermophilic, does not tolerate drafts and gusts of cold wind. In the hot season, the most favorable temperature will be + 25 … + 30 degrees, and in the cold – at least 15 degrees above zero. If the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius, then there is a risk of bulb rotting, and the leaves may fall off, wither and turn yellow. The flower tolerates dry air well, but in winter it is better not to keep it near heating appliances, as this can cause the leaves to dry out. Failure to comply with the temperature regime can cause many problems, and plant recovery can take a long time.

Take a look at the photo of what the eucharis indoor flower looks like when the place for its cultivation is chosen correctly:

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

How to care for a eucharis flower at home: watering, moisture and fertilization

Eucharis is sensitive to excessively wet soil and its bulbs can suffer from excess moisture. Watering an adult plant is desirable with settled tap water, you can even boil it. You need to water along the edge of the pot, and immediately pour out all the water flowing into the pan. It is important to monitor the state of the earthen lump: watering is carried out when the earthen lump is completely dry from the previous one. However, if we are talking about a young plant, then you should not take too long breaks, and keep the soil always slightly moist, but not wet. During the growing season, watering should be plentiful, in winter – rare. During the dormant period, which lasts up to 60 days after the end of flowering, watering the home eucharis can be suspended almost completely – this will give it the opportunity to recover and delight with even more abundant flowering. In order for eucharis to bloom in winter, the growing season is limited and watering is stopped in August, thus creating a period of artificial dormancy.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis, or Amazonian lily, when caring at home, reacts well to high humidity of the environment, for a plant it is much better than dry air. Leaves can be periodically sprayed, but make sure that there is no stagnation of water at the base of the vegetative organs: for this, after spraying, you can blot excess water with a cotton swab. Buds and inflorescences do not like getting wet, therefore, during the flowering period, you need to either completely stop spraying, or do it very carefully.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

An important point in how to properly care for a eucharis flower will be removing dirt and dust from the leaves. It is important to do this so that there is no blockage of their stomata, and gas exchange with the environment is not disturbed. You can use a sponge or soft cloth.

During the growth period, the plants are fed with a full mineral fertilizer once every 7-10 days, such as Fertika +. In the summer, for eucharis, you need to choose fertilizers that do not contain nitrogen. After the end of flowering, feeding should be stopped for 30-50 days.

Planting eucharis bulbs, transplanting and breeding options

The indoor eucharis flower needs care and regular transplantation, which is carried out exclusively during the dormant period. Eucharis should be transplanted only when the bulbs begin to interfere with each other. In addition, they will begin to bulge out of the pot, or they may tear it apart. Adequate flowerpot volume stimulates the development and flowering of the Amazon lily.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Young plants need an annual transplant, since their root system is actively growing, and adults – once every 3-4 years, as they grow. It is desirable to carry it out at the end of March, using the transshipment method.

Actions for transplanting a eucharis flower at home should be as follows:

  • Pick up a flowerpot 5-7 cm wider than the previous one.
  • Make holes in the pot for excess water to escape.
  • Carefully remove the contents of the pot, taking care not to injure the roots.
  • Transfer the plant with a lump of old soil, and fill the voids with new.
  • Make sure that the bulbs are at a depth of 4-5 cm.
  • Top up with nutritious soil, tamp.
  • The first month after transplanting, the plant should be watered little by little, waiting for the earthen coma to dry completely.

There are two options for reproduction of the eucharis flower:

  1. Daughter bulbs.
  2. Seeds.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Plants need to be planted because the roots become tangled due to the growth of the root system. In addition, due to the tightness in the pot, the bulbs do not receive enough nutrients, and the flower may die.

For propagation by bulbs you need:

  • Loosen the substrate.
  • Extract the plant, spread the roots.
  • You can gently rinse the bulbs under running water.
  • Carefully separate the babies that have reached a size of 4-5 cm.
  • Treat all cuts and damage with ground cinnamon or charcoal.
  • Prepare new flowerpots as follows:
  • Place drainage first.
  • Then add a layer of clean sand.
  • Prepare the substrate.

Soil composition: compost, leaf soil, loam, sand in equal proportions. Other combinations are possible when forming the soil mixture, however, it is important that it is loose, nutritious, water permeable and dries quickly.

Before planting the eucharis flower bulb, you need to calculate the required flowerpot size. So, for one plant, an area of ​​5-10 cm is sufficient.It is optimal to plant 20 daughter bulbs in a container with a diameter of 5 cm to a depth of 5 cm in the prepared substrate. If the container is of insufficient size, it will make it difficult for the growth of the root system, and its too large size will delay flowering.

How to plant multiple eucharis bulbs in one pot

Planting several eucharises in one pot will ensure lush flowering. If you plant the plant one at a time, the flower stalks will not form until the bulbs have grown. The bulbs should be covered with soil by about 2 cm. After about 1,5 – 2 months, the tops of young leaves will hatch from the ground. This density of planting material stimulates the onset of flowering, which can begin in less than a year.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

If, when planting eucharis, leaves do not grow on the bulb, then you need to place it so that the top is above the surface of the substrate. This will help you observe the germination of the leaves. To speed up this process, you can heat the soil from the bottom of the flowerpot to a temperature of 25-30 degrees.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

After planting or transplanting, the plant must be kept for up to 10 days without watering in a cool, bright room.

Seed propagation is a more laborious process. Usually it is used for breeding purposes or for the propagation of any rare plant varieties. You need to understand that seed germination is low, and it may take more than one year before the first flowering begins.

Look at the photo what size of the daughter bulbs of the eucharis houseplant is optimal for self-planting:

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

It should be noted that the dormant period of this plant does not have pronounced signs, since its leaves do not fall off and do not dry out, but continue to delight with their glossy shine. The beginning of this period is considered to be the end of flowering, when all the flowers dry up and the peduncle withers. Pruning an Amazonian lily consists of removing dried flower stalks.

Why does not eucharis bloom at home and what to do?

The most common question for gardeners is related to why eucharis does not bloom at home. Here, the main mistake may be that after the previous flowering, the plant was not provided with the necessary and sufficient dormancy period. It is imperative to maintain a pause after flowering for 30 – 50 days, do not add fertilizer and limit watering: the earthen lump should be practically dry. The way out of this situation will be the organization of an “artificial” rest period.

Another reason for the lack of flowering may be too spacious a pot and violation of the planting accuracy rule. The bulb sprouts and flowers after it has grown several daughter specimens. To start flowering, you will have to wait for the growth of the bulbs and the “development” of the roots of the entire volume of the flowerpot.

What else can you do if the eucharis does not bloom is to transplant it into a smaller container. The transplant must be performed by the transshipment method, being careful not to damage the roots. Another reason for this problem may be that the bulb simply did not have time to reach the size required to start flowering. In this case, you just need to wait.

Why do eucharis leaves turn yellow and spots appear on them?

Another problem that can arise with a plant is the appearance of yellow leaves. And if, with normal plant growth, the yellowness of the lower leaves is a natural phenomenon, since the flower tends to renew itself, then the rapid yellowing of the leaves should not be ignored. The most likely reason why eucharis leaves turn yellow quickly is its overflow. It is necessary to remove the plant from the flowerpot, dry the bulbs and carefully examine them: healthy roots are elastic and light, rotten ones are brown and soft. If the decay process has begun, then you need to remove the damaged fragments by cutting them off with a sharp knife. Then sprinkle all the slices with charcoal or Fundazol, which will stop the process. The treated plant must be planted in fresh, nutritious soil, and after a while it will take over.

If the leaves of the eucharis have become soft and have lost their elasticity, then, most likely, the matter is in insufficient watering. It is necessary to adjust the supply of moisture and spray. Too cold air can also cause similar leaf damage.

If yellow spots appear on the leaves of the eucharis, this is most likely a sunburn. The situation can be aggravated by pre-spraying, when the water fulfills the property of the lens, and direct sunlight becomes detrimental to the flower. The way out of this situation will be to change the place for placing the eucharis, shading the window with blinds or foil.

Fight against diseases and pests of the houseplant eucharis (with photo)

It is worth noting that the tropical plant is quite hardy and has a strong immunity, which protects it from diseases and all kinds of pests. However, eucharis sharply reacts to improper care with the appearance of problems: it can be affected by diseases or pests can start.

Excessively dry air, proximity to heating devices, lack of moisture can lead to the appearance of such pests:

  • Aphid.
  • Shchitovka.
  • Spider mite.
  • Thrips.

Eucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growingEucharis (Amazonian lily): description and care when growing

If any of the listed parasites are found, it is necessary, first of all, to wash the leaves with soapy solutions. After that, the plant is treated with systemic insecticides, for example, Actellik. You need to use the product twice with an interval of 7 – 10 days, following the recommendations on the package.

Another pest, the bulbous mite, appears as a result of systematic waterlogging of the soil. You can find it by looking at the base of the leaves at the edge of the soil and digging a little deeper. These small white parasites damage the plant by eating the inside of the bulb and stems and prevent it from growing. A measure of control is the treatment of the plant with acaricides (“Akarin”) and complete replacement of the soil.

To preserve the plant, experts recommend that it be regularly inspected for such damage: spots on leaves, cuttings, yellowing of leaves, their loss of elasticity, etc.

In conclusion, it can be noted that a spectacular lily will be a wonderful addition to a wedding composition and stands perfectly in cut form.

Anna Evans

Author-editor

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