How to Grow a Blood Lily? A Complete Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
The blood lily (Scadoxus multiflorus) is a common indoor potted ornamental flowering plant, a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Scadoxus in the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae), native to tropical Africa. It has been introduced and cultivated in China for ornamental purposes. Its flowers are brilliantly colored, in shades including blood red, white and bright red, and the blooms are densely packed, radiating like a ball. In the south it is planted outdoors in clumps for mass bedding displays, creating a unique flowering-season landscape. Now let us take a look together at how to grow blood lilies!
Growth Habits of the Blood Lily
The blood lily is native to tropical Africa. It prefers a warm, humid and semi-shaded environment and a well-drained sandy loam soil. It is relatively drought-tolerant but not cold-tolerant. In places such as Nanjing, Shanghai and Hangzhou it cannot overwinter outdoors. In winter the bulb enters a dormant period and must be grown indoors. The suitable temperature during the growing period is 20-30°C, and the overwintering temperature should be kept above 5°C. The soil should be loose, fertile and well-drained.
Propagation Methods of the Blood Lily
1. Bulb division: Blood lily propagation by bulb division is carried out in spring when repotting. Simply break the small daughter bulbs off around the mother bulb and plant them separately. Because the bulb has a poor ability to form daughter bulbs, bulb division propagation is generally carried out once every 2-3 years.
2. Sowing: 50-60 days after the blood lily finishes flowering, collect the seeds when they mature and sow them immediately. Use pot sowing; they sprout about 15 days after sowing, but the seedlings grow slowly and usually need 4-5 years of cultivation before they flower.
Cultivation Methods for the Blood Lily
1. Soil: For the blood lily, choose a loose, fertile, well-drained soil and apply a small amount of bone meal as a base fertilizer. Spread a thick layer of coarse sand at the bottom of the pot to aid drainage.
2. Fertilizing: The blood lily can be given a top dressing after the bulb sprouts and emerges from the soil. During the growing season, apply a dilute cake fertilizer solution or 0.2% compound fertilizer once every 2 weeks.
3. Watering: Water the blood lily by the principle of letting it dry out between waterings; do not water heavily. It is better to keep it on the dry side, as too much water easily rots the bulb. Do not water during the winter dormant period.
4. Light: The blood lily prefers shade. In summer place it under a shade frame and avoid direct sunlight, otherwise the leaves are easily scorched. Winter is its dormant period, and it does not need direct sunlight.
5. Temperature: The blood lily is not cold-tolerant and prefers warmth. The optimum temperature during the growing period is 10-20°C, and the optimum temperature during the overwintering dormant period is 8 to 10°C.
6. Pests and diseases: For bulb rot in blood lilies, soak the bulb in 0.5% formalin solution for 3 hours before planting to disinfect it. For underground slugs, spray and kill them with 3% limewater.