Hippeastrum 'Papillo' (syn H. psittacinum)
Hippeastrum lilies start to flower in late winter and continue through to spring.The name is derived from 'hippeus' a knight and 'astron' a star and they really are flamboyant and exotic star performers in the garden.The flowers of this one are orchid like ,creamy white and with maroon and green stripes. They like similar conditions to Agapanthus and are just as tough though they prefer the temperature to stay above zero degrees. This species stays evergreen with quite tough strappy leaves. I grow this in a pot with the bulb held quite high above the rim.I remove the small babies from around the parent bulb in summer It likes to be 'pot-bound' and is not particular as to watering. It is from south Brazil where it grows in sandy soil with a leaf mulch in sun or part shade position.
2017 update. This has proved tricky to grow over the years and I have lost a lot of potted plants from bulb rot, though sometimes it is marauding snails and slugs which decimate the plants. I don't have any plants for sale currently.
2017 update. This has proved tricky to grow over the years and I have lost a lot of potted plants from bulb rot, though sometimes it is marauding snails and slugs which decimate the plants. I don't have any plants for sale currently.
H. papilio and H. psittacinum are very different species, both from Brazil.
ReplyDeleteI bought a bulb from Wayside Gardens (US)20 years ago.It produced a single bloom 2 years after we got it and did not bloom again till today, 2-15-2001, also a single stem with 2 blooms. We live in New Jersy, USA.
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