Hippeastrum sonatini Sweet Sixteen

Hippeastrum sonatini 'Sweet Sixteen'® is a hardy Amaryllis that can withstand short freezes and can be grown in the ground in many regions, without the need to dig up the bulbs in autumn. This beautiful variety produces charming magenta-pink flowers with a yellow and green throat in summer. Its bulb, smaller than the Amaryllis bulbs typically forced to bloom for Christmas, also produces smaller but more abundant flowers! It can produce up to 4 flower stalks, each carrying 3 to 5 funnel-shaped flowers. The sturdy flower stalks are resistant to wind. Plant them in small groups in a sunny but not scorching location or in partial shade. It also makes a lovely plant for decorating the terrace or balcony.

From the Amaryllidaceae family, Hippeastrum plants are native to South and Central America. They are usually grown in pots in our latitudes and bloom indoors during Christmas. Hippeastrum sonatini is a variety developed over the past twenty years by the Dutch company Barnhoorn Hippeastrum, with the aim of creating a hardy Amaryllis that can be grown outdoors, even in cold climates. The result is a smaller, more floriferous Amaryllis that can withstand temperatures as low as -8°C for a very short period of time. The vegetation emerges from the ground in spring and disappears at the end of summer.

At full bloom, the 'Sweet Sixteen' variety forms a clump 30 to 40cm (12 to 16in) tall in full sun and 30cm (12in) wide. In partial shade, the stalks can reach 50cm (20in) in height. The plant blooms in June-July. The 6 to 12cm (2 to 5in) wide flowers are funnel-shaped and have six pointed, slightly undulating petals veined with dark pink, thick and iridescent in texture. The flower's centre releases long pink stamens. 4 to 5 flowers positioned back to back top each of the 3 to 4 hollow stalks. The leaves are linear, ribbon-like, and a glossy dark green. They dry up and disappear a few weeks after flowering, when the bulb enters its dormant phase.

Planting a garden Amaryllis is very rewarding, and there is now a wide range of varieties with various colors and shapes available. This plant is very easy to grow and has rapid growth. This 'Sweet Sixteen' variety, with its pink flowers, naturally complements white, blue, pink, or purple flowers. Plant it in small groups, and it will look wonderful in a flower bed, along the edge, or in a beautiful glazed terracotta pot on the terrace or balcony. Planted in well-drained soil, Amaryllis sonatini will multiply and come back each year, provided they are well protected under a thick layer of mulch in regions where the temperature drops below -8°C. They also make excellent cut flowers, with a long vase life.

Referring to an Amaryllis is actually a misnomer that originated from an error made in the 18th century. It was Linnaeus himself who used it to name the American species. However, the name was already used for another beautiful flower, which is native to South Africa. Conventionally, the name Amaryllis has been retained for both species. To distinguish them, the first one is called Hippeastrum and the second one is called Belladonna. It must be said that both deserve this name: Amaryllis means "sparkling" and, in classical Greek literature, the plant was the subject of a pastoral poem in which the beautiful shepherdess Amaryllis dies of unrequited love, only to be granted access to it after a terrible wound. From her blood, beautiful bunches of red flowers emerge. Since then, the term has been synonymous with proud beauty.