Gloriosa (Gloriosa rothschildiana): growing tips

Although we are not yet in autumn (officially), we wanted to show you one of those not so classic indoor plants, which nevertheless has spectacular flowering.

The one known as Glorious The downside? Which is in summer and the flowering period has passed. The advantage? That it is a tuber, so well preserved during the winter will allow the plant to re-sprout the following spring.

ORIGIN AND PECULIARITIES OF THE GLORIOSA PLANT

It is tropical, there is no doubt about that. The most striking, spectacular and colorful flowers usually occur in this type of climate in a very high percentage of cases.

So if normally, if you see a strange and very colorful bloom, you will be right many times if you think that the origin is tropical. In this case, the Gloriosa belongs to tropical areas of Asia and Africa.

It has tuberous roots, being a great advantage for those who wish to preserve the tubers during the winter to revive the plant the following spring. Then we look at it more closely.

The leaves are large, lanceolate of a very vivid green and with tendrils that allow them to climb and hook. And what about the flowering.

It is what will outshine the rest of the plants. It is spectacular. It occurs in mid-summer and can last until October. If you have one, you will still be enjoying its flowers.

It consists of petals also lanceolate in appearance of a very vivid red or pink and flaming with a yellow base reminiscent of flares. The long stamens complete the majesty of the bloom .

TEMPERATURE RANGE

Being its tropical origin, it is obvious that in Spain it is grown indoors in most places since the development temperatures oscillate between 10 ºC and 24 ºC .

In places free of frost and benign temperatures throughout the year that allow its cultivation outdoors. The rest of us are destined to the pot in order to be able to store it in a gallery or indoors, once the low temperatures arrive.

LIGHT

The high exposures and during several hours of the day are what this plant needs, although indirectly. It can withstand some direct sunlight in the less intense hours but prolonged exposure is not recommended.

SUBSTRATUM

It is a plant that needs adequate drainage so the sandy phase must be present. Therefore, a mixture with garden soil, mulch and sand can be a suitable substrate for this plant.

IRRIGATION

Irrigation has two distinct phases. Before the plant begins to emit leaves, watering is kept moderate and once every 7 or 9 days will suffice .

After the emission of stems and leaves, the frequency of irrigation should be increased approximately every 4 days . It is important that the risks are not excessively abundant.

GLORIOUS PLANT MULTIPLICATION

By seed it is complicated. However, being a tuberous plant, its reproduction by tubers is very simple and the first option (seed) has been relegated. You can try keeping the seeds in a warm bed at 22ºC in February .

When autumn arrives, around November when the plant is dry, it is time to carefully extract the tubers (they are delicate) and store them at cool or rather cold temperatures (between 5 and 10ºC) and with low humidity.

If the tuber has been properly preserved, March will be the right month for transplanting it into a new substrate, where we will once again have the magnificent flowering in summer.

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