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Name: hippeastrum, belladonna lily, naked lady, Jersey lily, Easter lily, Amaryllis belladonna.
Height: 60-75cm tall.
Foliage: strappy, succulent green leaves appear after the flowers, growing from the neck of the bulb at ground level.
Climate: in warm temperate or hot climates with dry summers and wet winters.
Soil: must be very well-drained soil. Tolerates poor soils.
Position: sun for most of the day. The bulb requires baking in the sun for improved flowering.
Flowering and fruiting: 60–75cm stems arise in late summer/early autumn, topped with 3–12 beautiful, funnel-shaped, fragrant flowers. Flower colours include shades of pink, white, red and orange.
Feeding: use a controlled-release organic fertiliser after flowering plants, before the leaves appear.
Watering: regular watering during flowering. Do not water after the leaves die down. Keep dry during summer.
Climate
The Amaryllis genus is represented by only one species, Amaryllis belladonna. Originating in the coastal hills and streamside locations of the Western Cape Province in South Africa, it grows in warm temperate or hot climates. Needing dry summers and wet winters, amaryllis and hippeastrum are ideally suited to growing in Australia.
Amaryllis and hippeastrum require full sun or partial shade to flower well and need a good baking in summer without any additional water. In areas with summer rainfall, grow it in a large pot in full sun, but position it either under the eaves of the house or with some additional cover from rain or irrigation water.
Plant amaryllis and hippeastrum in mixed borders or in containers, where they will form a spectacular display, and where watering can be easily controlled.
Soil
Amaryllis and hippeastrum need a very well-drained soil, although most gardens with poor soils can be made suitable with the addition of aged or composted organic matter before planting. A slightly acidic soil with a pH of between 6 and 6.5 is preferred. Don’t worry, testing and adjusting your soil pH is easy.
Always use a premium standard potting mix in pots and containers, and keep your amaryllis and hippeastrum well-watered when it is in flower in autumn, and when it is in leaf from autumn through to spring.
Fertiliser: after flowering in autumn, but before the leaves appear, apply a controlled-release organic fertiliser specifically for flowering plants.
1. Plant the large bulbs with the neck of the bulb just above the top of the soil, from between summer and early autumn.
2. In the ground, space the bulbs 15–20 cm apart in the ground in pots and containers. Place one bulb per 200mm pot.
3. Leave clumps undisturbed over time for improved flowering.
1. To conserve the bulb’s reserves for flowering next year, cut down the flower heads and stems once flowering has ceased.
2. Remove spent foliage in late spring.
3. Flower stems may be cut for indoor flower arrangements.
Amaryllis and hippeastrum are highly resistant to pests, with only irregular damage to the large leaves from snails and slugs. From autumn to late spring, apply iron chelate-based snail pellets around the clumps.
In warm, humid environments leaf scorch can affect amaryllis and hippeastrum bulbs, causing red-brown scorched leaf tips and spotting that may spread further down the leaf. Remove affected leaves immediately and spray the plant with a copper-based fungicide to reduce the spread.
Dividing amaryllis and hippeastrum plants: they can be lifted and divided after the foliage has completely died down in late spring or early summer. It should then be replanted as soon as possible.
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