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Gazania Species
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Spider Lily
Spider lily belongs to Liliaceae family and it is of perennial type (i.e. this plant can last for more than three seasons). It is a fast growing plant and reaches 1 to 3 feet high. It has narrow leaves of about half inch wide. Its flower stem will be about 2 feet tall and a stem bears many flowers. Its flower look like spider and hence named spider lily. It flowers in different colours like yellow, red, white and pink. Its petals will be narrow. The flower bloom in summer and in beginning of fall. This plant is used as ornamental plants in garden and its flower will be good looking and more attractive, hence well suited for cut flowers. Spider lilies are drought tolerant and can even withstand salt-water spray from ocean but cannot withstand cold temperature alone. Plant prefers full sun and grows well in sandy soil. Parts of the plant are poisonous. Eating spider lily won’t cause death but will make sick.
Cultivation : Spider lily plant can be grown easily from bulb. To plant with bulb in warmer climates, bury it in the soil such that the bulb neck is in the soil level. To plant in colder climates, bury the bulb in the soil for about 15 cm deep. While burying more bulbs place them 6 to 12 inches apart. This type of plant bulb can be planted in any direction; hence it grows when planted in any position. More care should be taken for finding location for planting this type of plant; the soil must be fertile, must be well drained and warm. The soil well suited for planting spider lily is sandy soil and some clay also. Prefer full sun location for planting spider lily, but it can accept even partial shade. Best growth can be obtained by preferring full sun location. Always water well after burying the bulb and then water as per needed to promote growth of the plant. . Provide adequate quantity of water for good health of plant.
Spider lily can also be grown in container in outdoor or indoor. Select a large container which consists of numerous rooms for planting spider lily. Fill the container with rich soil and add some organic manure to enrich the soil. Place the bulb in the container and water thoroughly. Drainage hole is very necessary in container for proper drainage of soil. The bulb shoots in few weeks. Add fertilizer once in a month while planting in container for better growth of plant. For better growth, good appearance of the plant and to encourage new flower growth remove dry, died and spent flowers. Wherever it may be planted container or ground, that must consists of many rooms for spreading of plants. These plants are best grown in clumps. Take out the bulbs or tubers when the plant is in vegetative rest. The bulb or tubers taken out should be cleaned and must be stored in dry, cool and dark place. This preserved bulb can be planted later.
Bring the pot or container indoor to protect from frost. To protect the outdoor plant from winter frost cover it with mulch (organic matter). The mulch cover not only protects the plant from frost and also provides nutrients to the plant.
Propagation : Spider lily can be propagated by sowing seeds in containers in a cold frame. It must be placed in containers after it ripe. If growing oxalis in containers select a large pot with drainage holes and water it regularly and for good growth of plants add fertilizers. When the seeds finished growing to some extend take it out from the container and plant in the place you preferred in early summer. But growing from seed will not be effective and we won’t get the true plant.
Also be propagated by dividing the tubers, bulbs, corms when the growth stopped due to frost and keep it in a place free from frost and replant it in summer.
Varieties : Spider lily has many different varieties and the colour of the flower depends upon its variety. The top two varieties of spider lily are Lycoris squamigera also called Nacked ladies. This variety consists of strappy leaves, which shed in summer. Nacked ladies produces flower in lilac-pink colour and can grow 18 inches tall. Second top variety of spider lily is Red spider lily also called Lycoris radiate, surprise lilies which bears cluster of bright, deep red spidery flowers, which appear in fall. It can grow to 18 inches tall and this plant is fast growing and can quickly reach its height in a week.
Disease and Cure : Spider lily is free from pest and diseases but Check slugs and snails formation; hence they will produce holes in leaves, damage entire stems or in some cases completely destroy seedlings.
Water the plant regularly but excess water supply must be avoided, since it will cause the bud to rotten and plant get spoiled, hence appropriate amount of water should to supplied with an adequate days of gap between watering. Water insufficiency leads to wither roots, loose its strength and lead to death of the plant.