Hippeastrum Sweet Lilian

Amaryllis 'Sweet Lilian' is a lovely variety of Hippeastrum, and while its stem is not very tall, it bears fine and well-coloured flowers. These are large stars with narrow petals ranging in shades of bright pink to almost white, adorned with beautiful pale pink stripes that dive into a green apple throat. This variety, both refined and unique, will bring a touch of elegance to your interior in winter. 

From the Amaryllidaceae family, Hippeastrum originate from South America and Central America. They are cultivated in pots in our climate and flower indoors around Christmas time. In full bloom, 'Sweet Lilian' forms a clump of 45-50 cm (18-20in) in height and 30 cm (12in) in width. The star-shaped flowers measure 14-15 cm (6in) in diameter. This flowering consists of six thick, narrow, and pointed petals. The green heart of the flower releases a cluster of long, pale pink curved stamens. The bulb usually produces two floral stems, one after the other. An umbel of 4 to 6 flowers forms at the top of each thick and hollow stem. Positioned back to back, the corollas together form a unique composition. The leaves are deciduous, ribbon-shaped, and glossy dark green. They turn yellow and dry some time after flowering, while the bulb enters a resting phase.

Planting an Amaryllis is very rewarding. Hippeastrum is very easy to grow and its growth is extremely rapid. 6 to 10 weeks after planting, the flowers are already blooming. You can enjoy them throughout the winter. To give it as a Christmas gift, consider planting it at the beginning of November. Preferably expose it to the sun, for exmaple in a window. Prune the stem when the flowers have faded to promote floral regrowth.

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