AMARYLLIS or HIPPEASTRUM
Amaryllis is pronounced AMMA-rillis, Amaryllis is sometimes called Hippeastrum, which means "knight star". They have large flamboyant starry 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. The amaryllis comes in many beautiful varieties including various shades of red, white, pink, salmon and orange. There are also many striped and multicolored varieties, usually combining shades of pink or red with white.
They originate from South and Central America and the Caribbean
The main season is September to April, and as they are in their primise are popular as christmas flowers. The red varieties include "Liberty", "Red Lion", and "Hercules".
The flowerheads are often so large the stems cannot support them. Insert a thin stick inside the hollow stem for support. Buy Amaryllis when still in bud so you can transport them without damaging the flowers. The meaty stalk of an Amaryllis sucks up a lot of water, which means the flowers have a water supply within the stalk. This means you can use the Amaryllis as a dry decoration for a limited period. A few stems with fully blown flowers can be placed on a dinner table, or hung upside down above the table, without becoming instantly limp.
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