Christmas lily
The Christmas lily is also known as amaryllis but that is a misnomer. It's real name is hippeastrum. The true amaryllis is a monotypic (only one species) genus of plant containing the belladonna lily (amaryllis belladonna) and is a native of South Africa. I mentioned this in August when my belladonna lilies ("naked ladies") were in bloom in this post, Naked ladies and hippie ass trims.
Hippeastrum is a genus of about 70 species and 600+ hybrids and cultivars of bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of South America from Argentina north to Mexico. Some species are grown for their large showy flowers one of which is known as the Christmas lily.
The first commercial breeders of hippeastrums were Dutch growers who imported several species from Mexico and South America and began developing cultivars and hybrids from them in the 18th century; the first of these reached North America early in the 19th century. In 1946 two Dutch growers moved to South Africa and began cultivation there. Although most hippeastrums come from the Dutch and South African sources, bulbs are now being developed in the United States, Japan, Israel, India, Brazil and Australia. The double flowers from Japan are particularly beautiful.
Dutch bulbs usually produce a flower spike first, then, after it has finished blooming, the plant will begin growing leaves. Bulbs from the South African growers usually put up a flower spike and leaves at the same time. These are the ones usually sold by nurseries and other stores for the holidays in December.
The flower colors include red, rose, pink, white, orange, yellow and pale green with variations on these including different colored stripes and edges on the petals. Some flowers have uniform colors or patterns on all six petals while others have more pronounced colors on the upper petals than on the lower ones.
In most parts of the USA, bulbs can be moved outside by the end of May. This is a sub-tropical plant that needs an extended growing season and there is not enough light in the average home for them to do well. I used to grow these outdoors in San Francisco but, because they flower in winter, I cannot grow them outdoors here.
Whenever it does not rain here in winter, we have freezes as has happened since our last storm. We had a couple of early frosts in October but then it rained most of November and the first half of December. The southerly winds that bring most of our rain raise our day-time highs into the 60s and night-time lows into the 50s. Now that the rain has gone, day-time highs are only in the 40s and night-time lows are below 30F. That would kill Christmas lilies outdoors.
Except in very hot climates, stop watering in September. If it continues to rain in the plant's location then move the bulb inside or to a covered porch. Otherwise, bulbs can be left outside in the sun until the night temperature reaches about 50 F. Bulbs can survive a light frost, but not a heavy freeze. Hippeastrums produce more flowers when they are pot-bound and are not putting their energy into growing new roots so many can be left in the same planter year after year. Leaving them in the pot all year round works well. You can put them out in summer to get light and bring them in before the first frosts.
There is a misconception that hippeastrums need a period of total darkness before they will bloom again. This is not true, what is needed is a rest period in a room with average light where the temperature is between 45-60 F. (That may be too cool for most people but that is what the temp inside my house usually is.) This confusion no doubt comes about because two other popular plants sold during the winter holidays, Christmas cactus and Poinsettia, do require exact periods of complete darkness to set buds.
The first pic is of the true Amaryllis ("naked ladies") which bloom in August. The rest of the pics are of hippeastrum, the Christmas lily.
Hippeastrum is a genus of about 70 species and 600+ hybrids and cultivars of bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of South America from Argentina north to Mexico. Some species are grown for their large showy flowers one of which is known as the Christmas lily.
The first commercial breeders of hippeastrums were Dutch growers who imported several species from Mexico and South America and began developing cultivars and hybrids from them in the 18th century; the first of these reached North America early in the 19th century. In 1946 two Dutch growers moved to South Africa and began cultivation there. Although most hippeastrums come from the Dutch and South African sources, bulbs are now being developed in the United States, Japan, Israel, India, Brazil and Australia. The double flowers from Japan are particularly beautiful.
Dutch bulbs usually produce a flower spike first, then, after it has finished blooming, the plant will begin growing leaves. Bulbs from the South African growers usually put up a flower spike and leaves at the same time. These are the ones usually sold by nurseries and other stores for the holidays in December.
The flower colors include red, rose, pink, white, orange, yellow and pale green with variations on these including different colored stripes and edges on the petals. Some flowers have uniform colors or patterns on all six petals while others have more pronounced colors on the upper petals than on the lower ones.
In most parts of the USA, bulbs can be moved outside by the end of May. This is a sub-tropical plant that needs an extended growing season and there is not enough light in the average home for them to do well. I used to grow these outdoors in San Francisco but, because they flower in winter, I cannot grow them outdoors here.
Whenever it does not rain here in winter, we have freezes as has happened since our last storm. We had a couple of early frosts in October but then it rained most of November and the first half of December. The southerly winds that bring most of our rain raise our day-time highs into the 60s and night-time lows into the 50s. Now that the rain has gone, day-time highs are only in the 40s and night-time lows are below 30F. That would kill Christmas lilies outdoors.
Except in very hot climates, stop watering in September. If it continues to rain in the plant's location then move the bulb inside or to a covered porch. Otherwise, bulbs can be left outside in the sun until the night temperature reaches about 50 F. Bulbs can survive a light frost, but not a heavy freeze. Hippeastrums produce more flowers when they are pot-bound and are not putting their energy into growing new roots so many can be left in the same planter year after year. Leaving them in the pot all year round works well. You can put them out in summer to get light and bring them in before the first frosts.
There is a misconception that hippeastrums need a period of total darkness before they will bloom again. This is not true, what is needed is a rest period in a room with average light where the temperature is between 45-60 F. (That may be too cool for most people but that is what the temp inside my house usually is.) This confusion no doubt comes about because two other popular plants sold during the winter holidays, Christmas cactus and Poinsettia, do require exact periods of complete darkness to set buds.
The first pic is of the true Amaryllis ("naked ladies") which bloom in August. The rest of the pics are of hippeastrum, the Christmas lily.
posted by Joubert at 11:21 AM
The Alliance
<< Home