A beautiful houseplant with great flowers. Flowers that feel tropical and are special to see. The beautiful red color of the inward curled petals with a refined yellow edge. The long stamens that slowly fan out and give the whole something mystical. Not only for sale as a houseplant but also as a cut flower. In a small mixed bouquet or as one or more branch (s) in a beautiful vase. As a finishing touch in a beautiful bridal bouquet, the Gloriosa exudes color and exclusivity. A beauty of a flower and the favorite flower of many.
- The Gloriosa (superba) or climbing lily
- The appearance of the Gloriosa
- Species
- Dealing with the Gloriosa as a houseplant
- Propagate
- Toxic
The Gloriosa (superba) or climbing lily
The climbing lily (Gloriosa superba ?? Rothschildiana ??) or beautiful lily is a plant with climbing tendrils and beautiful flowers. The Gloriosa belongs to the order of Liliacea (lily-like family) and is family of the Colchicaceae (autumn crocus family). This beautiful plant occurs naturally in the nature of the tropics. The climbing lily grows naturally in areas with little or no rainfall during certain periods: in the tropics of all of Africa and Asia. Thanks to the Europeans, now also in the entire tropical belt (the American part). During the drought, the above-ground greenery dies and the underground tubers start to sprout again in the wet period. The botanical outsider is therefore also called the Gloriosa. A tuber that develops into a climber with tendrils up to more than two meters high. The tendrils climb up through small curls at the tip of the leaves. The plants probably also entered Europe and other continents around 1900 by English explorers.
The appearance of the Gloriosa
The beautiful flowers that grow on a stalk of 12 to 15 centimeters are not to be missed. They jump out of the plant, as it were. The flower consists of six petals with a deep bright red color. The deep red color is obtained by the sunlight and the more sunlight, the more intense the color. The red color is accentuated on the inward wavy edges of the petals by a fine yellow edge.
The stamens
The six stamens are 2.5 to 5 inches long. When the flower opens, the green stamens hang downwards and then slowly spread out fully and color from green stamens to pink stamens with a yellow color at the base. There is an anthrax at the end of each stamen. A fairly large, green and three-part ovary in the rose ?? of the petals, opens three flaps when ripe and gives bright red seeds.
The leaf
The narrow, oval-like, dark green and glossy leaves end in a curl for climbing (tendril-like extension of the leaf). The sitting, green leaves are arranged alternately or in whorls of three pieces. A seated ?? leaf has no petiole and appears to come straight out of the stem. The herbaceous rather limp stems of the Gloriosa superba ?? Rothschildiana ?? can grow very long.
Species
Species naturally occurring in countries with a tropical or sub-tropical climate include:
- Gloriosa lindenii. A plant that grows in the hills of central Zambia;
- Gloriosa modesta. A plant native to South Africa. It is a summer growing climber, up to about 1 meter.
In the Netherlands, the Gloriosa is offered at the flower auction and propagated by growers who specialize in niche products (products for a specific target group). In this case the propagation and cultivation of the Golriosa. The types for sale in the Netherlands are:
- Gloriosa superba ‘Rothschildiana’ is the best known for sale in the Netherlands;
- Gloriosa superba ?? Simplex ?? has a smaller flower, while the color of the petals is more deep orange;
- Gloriosa lutea is yellow in color.
Dealing with the Gloriosa as a houseplant
Got or bought a Gloriosa? Give the plant a place in the morning sun. The Gloriosa makes no demands on the humidity, but on the temperature. The minimum temperature is 16 degrees. When the plant is outside, there is a risk of aphids at a lower temperature. During the growing season, give a little fertilizer with the irrigation water every week. Because the Gloriosa is a root vegetable, the plant hates water that stays too long. The tuber will rot.
Hibernate
In mid-autumn, start with reduced watering until the plant dies above the ground. After the above-ground greenery has died off, the tubers must be stored dry in the pot, at a temperature of 12 to 18 degrees. The tuber must dry completely and can be harvested after five weeks. The next spring (April), plant the tubers in a deep pot three inches deep, growing point up.
Propagate
The young shoots on the tuber (with a growth point) can immediately be cut loose from the tuber, for new Gloriosa plants. At the bottom, place a flower pot with a diameter of 15 centimeters, loose potsherds for good drainage. If the pot allows it, preferably plant them horizontally with the growing point upwards. Add an extra layer of soil so that the tubers are covered. Moisten the soil well and put the flower pot in a warm place. Don’t be impatient because it often takes a while before the young stems become visible (depends on the temperature). As soon as the stems show themselves, liquid houseplant fertilizer and irrigation water may be given again. The plant is a sun lover, so a spot in front of a sunny window is ideal. Choose a sunny spot for outside and apply a ground cover of 2.5 centimeters above the tuber. A spot out of the wind and strengthen the shoots. Place the plant against mesh or add bamboo sticks. If you were able to get seed from the ovary last year, sow this seed at a temperature of 24 degrees C. When the sun becomes too bright in the summer and the temperature rises above thirty degrees, it is advisable to keep the plant provide some shade by shading the sun.
Toxic
All parts of the Gloriosa plant are poisonous. Especially the seeds and the tubers. These contain the toxic substance colchicine. Be careful with the sap of the plant. Wash your hands thoroughly after cutting off dead flowers or repotting the tubers. Colchicine or acetyltrimethylcolchicine is an alkaloid of all family of the autumn style. The alkoids have a strong effect on the central nervous system.