In the jungles of tropical Africa we can find a climbing plant, whose flower is spectacular: the Glorious and proud. It is becoming easier to find it in nurseries and garden centers, either as tubers or as a plant.
This time, we are going to talk about it.
It is a plant with tuberous roots that can reach three meters in height. It has long, lanceolate, green leaves. At each end of the leaf, they develop a tendril, which allows them to climb.
Its flowers are very strange, very beautifulred with yellow border.
Gloriosa is a plant whose maintenance is very low. If we live in a climate with cold winters, it will behave like any bulbous plant, that is, the aerial part (the leaves) will die and it will sprout again in spring. It is advisable to keep the tubers in a warm and dry place. To do this, we can do two things:
- Put the pot indoors,
- Or remove the tuber, remove all the soil and store it in a bag in a place where the temperature does not drop below 10º.
On the other hand, if we live in a warm area, without frost, we can have the plant in a pot (or in the ground) all year round.
We can have it indoors, in a room where it has a lot of light. Outdoors we can have it in full sun or in semi-shade.
You will need a substrate that drains well. For example, a good mix would be black peat with a little bit of pearlite.
With the irrigation it will be necessary to be careful, since if it is excessive, the tubers could rot. Therefore, we will water when the substrate is almost dry. It is not advisable to let it dry completely, although it is preferable to stay short than to overdo it.
The Gloriosa must be paid once a week during flowering.
It is recommended to place a tutor in the pot or in the ground and tie it to it until it develops leaves with tendrils.
It reproduces by seeds or by tubers. By seeds it is difficult; on the other hand, the reproduction by tubers is very simple, as long as they are in good condition.
Image – Pacific Bulb Society
More information – When buying a bulb, make a good choice!
