Hippeastrum

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General Description/History

There is some confusion about the names of these flowers – many are called Amaryllis, when they are really Hippeastrum. Amaryllis lilies are the popular ‘Naked Ladies’ and are pale pink with long stems. Hippeastrum have shorter, fatter stems and much brighter colours, due to extensive breeding programs in Europe and South Africa. Common colours are red, rose, pink, peach, white, orange, yellow or pale green. Many varieties have combinations of these colours as stripes or petal edges. Most stems bear 2 or more, large (up to 20 cm across) trumpet-shaped flowers, and each flower has 3 outer sepals and 3 inner petals, all brightly coloured. There are many varieties available and up to 20 new varieties are released each year. This is a very popular indoor bulb plant in Europe, particularly at Christmas-time, where bulbs are forced into flower to provide colour in the cold winter months.

Hippeastrums are grown from bulbs in the glasshouse. Most are grown in Victoria, NSW, and QLD.

What to look for

  • Buy when flowers are just starting to open and buds show clear colour;
  • Avoid flowers with split and rolled stem ends.

Flower Care

  1. Keep cool at all times.
  2. Recut at least 2 cm off each stem and place in water immediately.
  3. Always use a preservative as this will help keep open flowers looking fresh.
  4. Replace vase water with fresh preservative every day.

Interesting Facts about this Flower

“Hippeastrum” is Latin for “horseman’s star” (also known today as “knight’s star”) and was chosen by the Reverend William Herbert in 1837. No one is entirely sure why he picked this name although buds on the verge of opening do look something like a horse’s ear and clearly the blossoms do resemble six-pointed stars.

Botanical Name: Hippeastrum hybrids

Common Names: Amaryllis, Hippeastrum

Stem Length: 30 to 60 cm

Country of Origin: Tropical South and Central America

Available Colours: Green, Orange, Pink, Red, White, Yellow

Season: Summer,Autumn

Availability: January,February,March,April,Decemeber