Blood flowers impress with their blooms and are very easy to plant. In addition, they are not particularly demanding when it comes to their care.
Blood flowers are more than willingly used by many lovers as a houseplant and balcony plant in summer because their flowers are incomparably beautiful to look at. Red brush flowers with a large diameter and juicy long leaves are what give the plant its typical look. The bulbous plant, which originally comes from Africa and belongs to the amaryllis family, is quite easy to care for and plant. However, you should know more about the care process so that the plant can thrive as well as possible and stay he althy for as long as possible. So how do you properly care for them?
✿ Cut blood flower
The flowering period of the houseplant begins around May and usually ends in autumn. Before winter, not only do the flowers and their stems die off, but the plant's leaves also change color and wither. If this is the case, the leaves should be carefully cut off and removed. This is the best way to prepare the plant for the winter, because during this time it basically goes into a dormant phase, only to awaken in full splendor again in spring. Except for this purpose, the blood flower does not need to be cut. However, if you find dry leaves or leaves that have been burned by the sun, you can remove or cut them off so that they do not restrict the plant's growth and make it more susceptible to pests or germs. A short profile of the plant can help to better keep the right care needs in mind when keeping it:
❀ scientific name is Haemanthus
❀ ideal room temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius
❀ in winter a dark, cool location with 14 degrees is required
❀ flowering time from May, shedding of leaves from late autumn
❀ Can only be kept outdoors in spring and summer if there is no frost
❀ Can grow up to 60 cm high, the flower often reaches a diameter of 20 cm
❀ Stem contains red sap, which exudes when damaged and is responsible for the plant's nameist
❀ Plant bears berries after flowering
✿ Water the blood flower correctly - what you need to know
If you have planted a blood flower bulb, watering will only start when a flower stem is formed or several leaves have emerged. However, you must always keep the soil slightly moist beforehand. It is then sufficient if you water the plant moderately whenever the substrate around it has dried slightly. Keeping the plant too moist could encourage it to rot or mold to form. It is therefore important to wait until the soil appears a little drier before watering the next time. In spring and summer, watering should be done fairly regularly, especially when the plant starts flowering. However, if the flowers and leaves have withered and the tree is preparing for winter, another measure must be introduced in addition to removing the leaves by cutting: watering must be reduced from this time onwards so that the plant does not rot. In winter, when the plant is resting, it needs to be watered a little less often. Only when spring approaches can the frequency of watering be increased again. It should be noted at any time of the year that water must always be removed from the saucer of the planter - otherwise the roots could rot.
✿ Help with better growth with some fertilizer
The blood flower only needs to be fertilized in summer, when it starts to bloom or when it is in the flowering period and is producing berries. Here you can mix some compost under the potting soil once a month, or alternatively add plant fertilizer. If you want, you can even use some fertilizer every two weeks to provide the African plant with the right amount of nutrients. From autumn onwards, however, fertilization should be avoided, especially in winter the plant does not need any such measures, as it seeks rest periods. When spring begins and the first leaves of the blood flower sprout again, some compost can be used to support the plant in its growth.
✿ Repot Blood Flower
When it comes to repotting, a distinction must first be made between young blood flowers and older plants of this type: Older blood flowers only need to be repotted if the roots protrude from the bottom or top of the pot and the plant generally has no more room to grow. Younger plants, on the other hand, should be repotted at the beginning of spring, using fresh substrate and some compostis enriched. The new flower pot or tub should offer up to five centimeters more space, but not be too big. In addition, the root must be treated very carefully when repotting so that it is not damaged and the plant may suffer he alth problems. After repotting, little watering should be done, and the plant needs a warm and bright, but not sunny place during this time. By the way, if you rarely repot, you won't have any problems with the blood flower - in this case, however, at least the upper layer of soil should be replaced with fresh ones from time to time.
✿ Hibernating Bloodflower
All Haemanthus species are not suitable for overwintering outdoors - because the African plants do not survive frost and temperatures that are too cold. Anyone who keeps the blood flower outdoors in spring and summer must therefore bring it back in by autumn at the latest, before the first frost. But it is also important that the plant is brought to a dark and slightly cooler room during its resting phase for the winter, which reaches a maximum temperature of 14 degrees. The basement, for example, is very well suited for this. Before overwintering, the withered leaves should be cut off, and watering should also be minimized during this time.
Blood Flower Care Benefits
✔ easy care all year round
✔ quite easy to plant
✔ requires little attention and effort during the winter
✔ repotting is rarely necessary
✔ Water only in moderation
✔ you will be rewarded with a rich bloom in summer
✔ can be placed outside in summer
Blood Flower Disadvantages
✘ Does not tolerate sun
✘ The plant is not immune to frost and sub-zero temperatures
✿ Multiply flowers
If you want to enjoy even more red and large flowers with brush-like petals in summer, you can definitely multiply the blood flower - if the care and planting is right. Since the plant forms berries as soon as autumn arrives, these can be harvested to grow the blood flower by seed. When the berries are yellow in color, they are the best to harvest. You shouldn't wait too long before sowing so that the process is crowned with success.
The seeds are distributed on the growing substrate, small flower pots can be used for several seeds. Incidentally, sand, which should be moistened and kept moist, is a good substrate. A film such as cling film over the flower pot helpsin promoting the germination of the seeds. If the seedlings appear, they can be placed in a bright but not sunny window without foil and placed in larger pots as they grow. It takes about two years before the small plants can be repotted from the sand into potting soil with compost. It should be noted that the seedlings must not suffer from waterlogging, as they will rot quickly in this case.