Hippeastrum Quito - Amaryllis

The Amaryllis 'Quito' belongs to a group of 'Hippeastrum known as Cybister which produce spider-like, atypical, exotic-looking flowers. Its large flowers have delicate, curled petals variegated with cherry red, green, and cream. The bulb produces 2 to 3 flowering stems, each carrying 2 to 3 flowers between December and March. The flowers of 'Quito' are impressive in floral arrangements or in a pretty indoor pot.

Originating from the subtropical regions of Central and South America, Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) are plants from the Amaryllidaceae non-hardy family, grown in pots indoors in our climate. The 'Quito' variety forms a flowering clump 55-60 cm in height and 30 cm in width. Each flower, measuring about 23 cm in diameter, consists of 6 narrow, tapered petals slightly twisted at the edges. Each petal displays a cherry red hue on the upper parts, contrasting with pale green and vanilla shades on the lower parts. The flower's centre releases a cluster of very long, light green curved stamens. The thick, hollow flower stem carries two to three flowers at its end. The bulb can produce two flowering stems. The leaves of this amaryllis are ribbon-like, glossy, and medium green in colour. They yellow and dry out some time after flowering, while the large bulb goes into dormancy.

The 'Quito' Hippeastrum is not difficult to grow, and flowering usually occurs 8 to 10 weeks after planting. To have it blooming for Christmas, consider planting it at the beginning of November. This variety doesn't need companion plants to spread its obvious beauty. You can plant a few snowdrops, just to dress up its slightly stiff stems. Ideally, place the plant in sunlight, in front of a window, for example. Prune the stem when the flowers fade to encourage the production of a second flowering stem.

The term Amaryllis is actually a linguistic misuse, stemming from confusion in the 18th century. It was the botanist Linnaeus who used this name to designate an American species, although the term was already applied to a South African plant. Today, by convention, the name Amaryllis is used for both varieties, with the following distinction: Hippeastrum for the American species and Belladona for the South African one. This naming choice is not trivial: Amaryllis means "sparkling," and the plant is celebrated in classical Greek literature. One can find a pastoral poem where the beautiful shepherdess Amaryllis, pierced by a painful love, makes magnificent red flowers spring from her blood. This symbolism has long made it an emblem of majestic beauty.