South American Garden Plants - Amaryllis

Name – Known botanically as hippeastrum, from the Greek hippos, which means ‘horse,’ – the horse connection isn’t obvious, but it was first made by Linnaeus who named one of these South American species A. equestris. In 1795, William Curtis commented, when describing the two parts of the spathe which encloses the bud, that by 'standing up at a certain period of the plant's flowering like ears, give the whole flower a fancied resemblance to a horse’s head’. Hmmm ... I suspect that depends on the strength of your imagination!

Description – large and flamboyant flower trumpets which spring from huge papery bulbs. Thick smooth leafless stems, often more than half a metre tall, are topped by four or five of these outsize blooms, making an impressive display in colours from pure white and pink to brilliant reds, vibrant oranges and delicate yellows.

Origin – Members of the Amaryllidaceae family, amaryllises are at home in the tropics, and are native to South America. Late November is considered to be an ideal time to plant the bulbs in a container only one to two inches larger in diameter than the base of the bulb because these bulbs thrive under conditions in which they are slightly root-bound. Suitable containers can be either clay or plastic but they must have drainage holes in the bottom. Plant amaryllis with about one-third to one-half of the bulb above the growing medium surface to keep the bulb’s ‘nose’ dry, which helps reduce fungal diseases. Plant in equal parts of Irish moss peat and perlite or grit. The sun-loving amaryllis will only thrive in a greenhouse or indoors in a location that delivers at least four hours of direct sunlight each day. Amaryllis prefers warm temperatures, 21 Celsius until the roots form and the leaves and flower stalk begins to grow. Once the plant flowers, cooler temperatures of around 16 Celsius will prolong the life of the flower. Developing shoots will need to be supported once they reach around a food tall, by tying to a cane.

For Decoration - An amaryllis stem is always striking but when used in a mixed design make sure you leave enough room for the flowers to open fully. Heavy amaryllis blooms may need the extra security and support of a hyacinth stake or bamboo rod inserted into the hollow stem.M

South America Amaryllis photograph by Tasitch, used under a creative commons attribution licence

 

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