Hippeastrum Gervase - Amaryllis

Amaryllis or Hippeastrum Gervase is a bulbous plant intended for indoor cultivation that offers amazing flowers with magenta-pink petals, striped with pink or red stripes: a touch of exoticism in the heart of winter.

Belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family and originating from the tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America, Hippeastrum is not at all hardy, its cultivation outdoors is not possible in our climate. Enjoy it even when planted in the warmth of the house, while the garden is still asleep.

Amaryllis is a plant with large bulbs whose large and elegant flowers resemble those of the Lily. They are generally grouped in fours at the top of a strong main stem, 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20in) high and adorned with long green leaves, in narrow strips.

Its flowering occurs from December to April, 6 to 8 weeks after planting. It depends on the temperature of the room in which the Amaryllis is planted: always in a well-lit place,  keep the pot in a well-heated room to accelerate its flowering or in a cooler room, around 10 °C, to slow it down.

Did you know? The Latin name 'Amaryllis' was the subject of heated discussions among botanists: originally, this name actually referred to another plant, similar in appearance and native to South Africa: the Amaryllis belladonna. When Carl von Linne used this name to refer to it but also to refer to the Hippeastrum (are you still following?), there was an outcry and the battle raged on until 1987 when the botanists decided: the Latin name Amaryllis is preserved for the African species Belladona but should no longer be used as the Latin name for Hippeastrum.