Zantedeschia aethiopica

Common name: gannet, creek, Ethiopian creek, Ethiopian ring, water lily

Description.

Perennial herbaceous plant, of the Araceae family. Native to South Africa. Its root system is an oblong rhizome (bulb) from which roots up to 20 cm long start. Its bright green leaves emerge basally, and the foliage can reach 1.5 meters in height.

The inforescences are called spadices, they are white in color, and have a high ornamental value due to their shape and showiness. 3 to 5 flowers can grow from each bulb.

There are a diversity of varieties with different shapes and colors. In Ethiopia it is considered the national flower.

Culture

It is a riverbank plant (semi-aquatic), so it needs to have a high degree of humidity. This can vary depending on the vegetative state in which it is, that is, when it blooms it must be watered more often than when the flowering has finished. It needs humidity to such an extent that it is a species in which we can have the pot partially submerged during the flowering period.

We must cultivate it in shade and / or semi-shade, avoiding direct sunlight.

Special substrate for aquatic plants must be used for their cultivation (topsoil, peat and clay)

From spring to mid-Autumn, a fertilizer with a balanced composition of Nitrogen and microelements will be applied (biweekly).

The wilted flowers and leaves should be removed to favor the growth of leaves and flowers and minimize the appearance of pests and / or diseases.

Multiplication

The creek is multiplied by separating the tubers generated by its rhizome, which we will bury 5cm deep. In areas with substrate enriched with peat and clay, and maintaining adequate humidity to favor the appearance of roots.

Applications

It is a plant with a beautiful flowering, which is why it is widely used throughout the world. Very suitable for forming beds or beds in humid and shady areas. It is also used as a cut flower for the formation of floral compositions. It is very suitable for interior decoration, rooms, offices, etc., as long as we look for a shady place and we take special care with watering.