Plant type: bulbous.
Description: These plants do not survive outdoor winters and are most often grown as annuals in the garden. They reach a height of 15 to 30 cm. They belong to the Amaryllis family. In total, two species are known in the genus.
- Origin: Mexico.
- Foliage: This plant has narrow lanceolate leaves.
- Care: The plant needs careful care.
- Growing environment: garden, greenhouse or home.
- Temperature range: 10-24°C.
- Humidity level: moderate.
Lighting: full sun or partial shade. It is best if the sun’s rays come from the south or west.
Large photo of the Sprekelia flower
Flowering: Sprekelia begins to bloom in late spring and continues to bloom throughout early summer. It has red flowers resembling lilies. Sometimes a plant can bloom twice a year, but there are times when it does not bloom for several years.
Soil type: The soil should be rich in nutrients, make sure it has good drainage. It is desirable that the soil be slightly acidic. In order to improve drainage, add gravel or sand to the soil.
Watering: regular. The soil must be moist. Rainwater can be used for irrigation, but be careful as it may contain harmful acids.
Fertilizers: Apply liquid fertilizer once every two weeks. Manure is also excellent as a fertilizer. Apply a foliar top dressing consisting of well-rotted manure annually. Due to this approach, growth will be more intense, and flowering will be more abundant.
Pests: Sprekelia is resistant to most pests, but mealybugs can sometimes be affected. Make sure that these harmful insects do not appear on the leaves of the flower.
Reproduction: carried out by planting children from the bulb. If you are going to grow a flower from seeds, then you need to plant them indoors. Seeds should be buried with a small layer of soil, and they should germinate at a temperature of 18-22 degrees. Grow the plants indoors, and after two years, transplant them into the garden two weeks after the last frost. Spreckels grown from seeds begin to bloom only after seven years.
Planting: The bulbs should be buried to a depth of 12-15 cm. The best time to plant is a few weeks after the last frost in a cool region or in autumn in a warm region. The distance between the flowers should be about 25-30 cm. They are often grown in pots, so indoor sprouts are quite popular. If you are planting bulbs in a pot, then the calculation should be as follows: 2 bulbs per 150 mm pot. Water the plant thoroughly after planting.
Application: Sprekelia, whose flowers look very impressive, is often used as cut flowers. Garden sprinklers are popular as they look great in borders. In addition, the flower takes root well in containers.
Optional: in autumn, in cold climates, the bulbs must be brought indoors and kept in vermiculite. As a rule, sprekels do not bloom every year. During a set year, about one in four plants will bloom. If you need to dig up the ground, then the bulbs must be removed in late autumn or early winter. Let the bulbs dry. Repot them any time during the winter. During the hibernation period, the flower requires dry soil. Stop watering when the leaves begin to die back and start watering the plant again when the foliage starts to sprout again. As a houseplant, sprekelia is often planted on sunny windowsills. Such conditions are excellent for good flower development.