Is Ophiopogon japonicus the same flower as the Red Spider Lily?
Today, the editor will explain whether Ophiopogon japonicus and the Red Spider Lily are the same flower and discuss the related topics of floral cultivation, including the differences between the two. Let's follow the editor to take a look!
Ophiopogon japonicus, which resembles the Red Spider Lily, has a high ornamental value, but please do not ignore its toxicity!
Ophiopogon japonicus and the Red Spider Lily both belong to the Amaryllidaceae family, and they look very similar, although they differ in color. In fact, they are completely different plants.
Ophiopogon japonicus is also known as黄花石蒜 (yellow flower stone lily), and as its name suggests, its color is yellow. When it blooms, it is always golden, making it a plant with both beautiful flowers and leaves. comparatively speaking, Ophiopogon japonicus also has high ornamental value.
Ophiopogon japonicus is a perennial plant. The bulb is oval, about 5 cm in diameter. Leaves appear in autumn, sword-shaped, about 60 cm long, up to 2.5 cm wide at the broadest part, narrowing towards the base, about 1.7 cm wide, the tip gradually pointed, with a distinct light-colored stripe in the center.
The flower stem is about 60 cm tall; the involucre has 2 lanceolate bracts, about 3.5 cm long and 0.8 cm wide; the umbel has 4-8 flowers; the flowers are yellow; the backs of the tepal lobes have a light green midrib, oblong-lanceolate, about 6 cm long and 1 cm wide, strongly revolute and wrinkled, the tepal tube is 1.2-1.5 cm long; the stamens slightly extend beyond the tepal, about 1/6 longer than the tepal, with yellow filaments; the style is rose red at the top.
The capsule fruit has three angles, dehiscing dorsally; the seeds are few, nearly spherical, about 0.7 cm in diameter, black. The flowering period is August to September, and the fruiting period is October.
Ophiopogon japonicus prefers sunny and humid environments such as damp slopes, rocks, and cliffs, but it can also tolerate semi-shade and drought, slightly cold-resistant, and has a strong vitality. It is not strict with soil, and if the soil is fertile and well-drained, the flowers will be particularly abundant.
In cultivation, it is important to avoid transplanting in winter or early spring after the leaves have grown. It prefers warm climates, with the highest temperature not exceeding 30°C, an average temperature of 24°C for ten days, and suitable for growth. In winter, an average daily temperature of 8°C or higher and a minimum temperature of 1°C do not affect growth.
The planting depth should not be too deep, just covering the top of the bulb with soil. It requires well-drained acidic sandy soil or loose cultivated soil, applying an appropriate amount of base fertilizer at planting time, and watering thoroughly after planting. During the vegetative growth period, it is necessary to water frequently to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged to prevent bulb rot. Twenty days before flowering to the flowering period, an adequate supply of water must be provided to ensure uniform flowering and extend the flowering period.
Common diseases include anthrax. Before planting the bulbs, soak them in a 0.3% copper sulfate solution for 30 minutes, rinse with water, and dry before planting. Spray with a 50% carbendazim wettable powder solution diluted 500 times every half month for prevention and control. For the initial stage of the disease, spray with a 50% benlate solution diluted 2500 times.
Spiny bollworm caterpillars mainly damage leaves, flower buds, and fruits, eating the leaf flesh, biting flower stems and seeds, usually危害 from late spring to November. Control can be achieved with a 5% Regent suspension concentrate diluted 2500 times or a 1000 times dilution of Walin.
Red bollworm caterpillars invade Ophiopogon japonicus plants, usually hollowing out the leaves and directly eating the inside of the bulbs. The affected areas often leave a large amount of green or brown fecal particles. It is important to regularly check the undersides of leaves for neatly arranged eggs and remove them immediately. For control, combine winter or early spring tillage to remove overwintering pupae and reduce the population. When the pest occurs, spray with a 1500 times dilution of Lufengben or an 800 times dilution of phoxim emulsifiable oil, preferably in the morning or evening when the caterpillars are active and feeding.
Ophiopogon japonicus contains compounds such as lycorine for pharmaceutical use, with expectorant, emetic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and diuretic effects, but it is highly toxic and should be used with caution. Among them, the bulbs are the source of galanthamine, a drug for the treatment of后遗症 of childhood paralysis.
The above-sharing of whether Ophiopogon japonicus and the Red Spider Lily are the same flower and the detailed introduction of their differences is for your reference.