Is the red spider lily poisonous? Blooming time, growing methods and precautions

The red spider lily is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant in the Amaryllidaceae family, a flower full of magical color, and the folk legends about the “red spider lily” all carry a sense of mystery. So is the red spider lily poisonous? When does it bloom? What are the growing methods and precautions for the red spider lily?

1. Is the red spider lily poisonous

1. Whether it is poisonous

Some people believe that this plant is highly toxic. Moreover, all parts of it are toxic, including the flowers, leaves, fruits, seeds and so on. As a result, some people think that not only will eating it cause poisoning, but even touching it is toxic. However, this is not very scientific. The characteristic of this plant is merely that it is “slightly toxic”.

As early as in the “Compendium of Materia Medica”, its toxicity was already recorded. However, its toxicity is not as great as we originally assumed. If it is simply grown and not eaten, it will not cause poisoning. This is also the reason why it is used as a potted plant in parks and even at home. However, we must also be careful. If it is eaten by mistake, it will produce some symptoms of poisoning. For example, dry mouth, hoarse voice, convulsions, difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat and so on. Some people will have more serious reactions, such as coma, respiratory arrest and so on.

2. Medicinal value

Although it is toxic, it can be used as a medicinal material. In many ancient books, there are records of its effects. For example, taken simmered with wine, it can help treat diseases such as throat wind and phlegm nodes. In addition, it also has the effect of inducing vomiting and promoting urination, and mainly treats food poisoning, difficult urination and so on. In addition, its effects of clearing heat and detoxifying are also very obvious, and it can help treat diseases such as dysentery.

However, because it is itself toxic. Therefore, we have to consider its side effects. So, generally speaking, it is only used as an external medicine, used to treat diseases such as boils. Specifically, take one to three pieces, mash them, apply them to the skin, and fix them well, changing them every four to twelve hours.

2. When does the red spider lily bloom

1. Specific blooming period

For this plant, it mainly blooms in two time periods. The first period is from February to March. The second period is from July to September, and among these, the flowers bloom best in July, which is its peak blooming period. According to legend, those that bloom around the spring equinox are called “spring equinox flower”, and those that bloom around the autumn equinox are called “autumn equinox flower”. Generally speaking, it blooms very punctually.

2. Precautions for blooming

Light: If you want it to bloom on time, light must certainly be ensured. However, it does not like too strong light. So, placing it in a place where it can receive scattered light is enough. If there is strong direct light, you can appropriately shade it.

Soil: Because blooming requires enough nutrients, you should first ensure the nutrients contained in the soil. In addition, according to the habits and characteristics of this plant, we should choose slightly acidic soil. If it is too alkalized, then the soil will clump, and then the root system will rot due to lack of oxygen, and then it will be impossible to bloom. So, we can loosen the soil from time to time, and sprinkle some ferrous sulfate solution on it.

Flower pot: This aspect also has an influence on whether it blooms. If the flower pot chosen is too small, then relatively speaking the space will be insufficient, and it will be unable to meet the supply during the blooming period. So, we should choose a relatively larger flower pot, then it will not lead to poor growth or development. In this way, it can also bloom smoothly.

Temperature: Before and after it blooms, it is best to also ensure that its temperature is suitable, as this is relatively beneficial to its blooming. Specifically, keeping it at around 24°C is enough.

3. Growing methods for the red spider lily

1. Temperature

The red spider lily loves a warm climate, and the suitable temperature for growth is between 15°C and 25°C, but it is strongly cold-resistant, and the upper limit of high temperature it can endure is a daily average temperature of 24°C.

2. Light

The red spider lily likes a semi-shaded environment, but it can also tolerate strong sun exposure. In summer it will enter a dormant period, so direct sunlight should be avoided, and it should be placed in a cool environment for growing.

3. Soil

Bulbous flowers are not picky about soil, but they live best in loose, fertile soil rich in humus. Wild varieties generally grow in gloomy and damp areas, and their growing sites are red soil, and they are accustomed to slightly acidic soil.

4. Water

It likes moisture, but at the same time it can also tolerate drought. However, when planted in soil with good drainage, maintaining a sufficient water supply will make the red spider lily grow better.

5. Fertilizing

The red spider lily is a bulbous flower, and its growth period is relatively long. Before planting, sufficient organic fertilizer should be buried in the soil, and afterward a top dressing should be applied once every two months. You can use homemade decomposed compost or a three-element fertilizer, and the proportion of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be emphasized, in order to promote bulb development and blooming.

4. Precautions for growing the red spider lily

1. Maintain water supply

When growing the red spider lily, if you find that the surface soil is dry and grayish white, then you need to supplement water for the red spider lily.

In summer, because the red spider lily will enter a dormant period, the number of waterings and the amount of water should be gradually reduced, and it is best to stop watering.

2. Good soil drainage

When planting the red spider lily, soil with good drainage should be used, otherwise water accumulation is likely to form, and the bulb will rot.

3. Control temperature

The red spider lily likes a warm environment, but the maximum temperature cannot exceed 30°C, the daily average temperature cannot be higher than 24°C, and in winter the daily average temperature must be kept above 8°C, with a minimum temperature of 1°C, only then will it not affect the growth of the red spider lily.