Sandersonia

Cultivation : Sandersonia can be easily grown from bulb by burying it in the soil for about 3 inches deep and in order to plant more bulbs place them 4 to 6 inches apart. Prefer full sun location and the soil must be moist and must be well drained and avoid too soft and watery soil. Provide adequate quantity of water for good health of plant, hence water insufficiency leads to wither roots, loose its strength and lead to death of the plant. Excess watering must also be avoided which cases rotten stem. For better result water the plant once in a week. Root and top of the plant grows in a week.

The bulb must be taken out after the fall from winter frost and must be cleaned and stored in cool and dry place. These bulbs can be planted in late spring. Don’t cut the leaves from the plant until it falls by its own after it finished flowering, hence these leaves on absorbing sunlight provides nutrients and ensure better growth and good health for next cycle plant. After shedding its leaves Sandersonia plant will be in rest for few months and then again starts its growth.

It can also be grown in container, fertilizing is must when grown in container for good growth. Prefer early spring for planting in container. Select a large pot with drainage holes and water it regularly and for good growth. After the growth of the plant to some extent, it can be replanted in ground.

Cover the plant with mulch for about 3 inch to maintain the moisture of the soil and also for better growth of plant. To improve the fertility and drainage of soil add aged manure and work in to the soil where you need to do planting. Use fertilizers for better growth and prefer fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen.

Propagation : Sandersonia can be propagated by lifting bulbs during winter season; the lifted plant must be planted in tubs in cold frame and must be kept in light shade location till the plant starts growing well, and should be replanted in summer.

It can also be propagated from seed by sowing it in spring. Seed starts germinating in few weeks and plant in pots in warm location and wait till it starts its growth. After its growth plant it in outdoor location. But planting from seed is time consuming and takes nearly 3 years for the production of flowers. Planting using seed is usually not preferred.

Also be propagated by dividing the tubers, bulbs, corms when the growth stopped due to winter frost and keep it in a place free from frost and replant it in summer.

Varieties : Sandersonia plant has only one species called Sandersonia aurantiaca, which is called as Golden lily of the valley and it need sun for production of flowers. It mostly produces orange flower.

We can obtain many hybrid species of sandersonia by hybridization with sandersonia aurantiaca.

Disease and Cure : To prevent injuries caused by aphids and cochineals attack use wide range insecticides. Wide-range fungicide must be used in order to prevent the plant from fungal diseases which spreads very easily throughout the plant when left unseen and cause damage to whole plant and even cause death of the plant. This treatment must be done when fails to bloom flowers. In some cases very high temperature disturbs blooming of flowers.

Creates growth of bacteria due to inadequate hygiene in water which disturbs the water flow in the stem and causes fall of leaves and petals and in extreme case causes ugly stems, to avoid it use clean and clear water. Using Florissant 500 will effectively reduce such type of problems. Excess water supply will cause the bud and plants to rotten and plant get spoiled, hence appropriate amount of water should to supplied with an adequate days of gap between watering. Choosing well-drained soil will surely prevent diseases attacking the plant. If needed use pesticides and fungicides, but in most cases Sandersonia is resistant to pests.

Check slug and snail formation in plant, hence it will destroy the plant very easily but its formation is very rare in case of sandersonia plant.

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