Amaryllis 'Papilio'

CHF 44.95

Amaryllis 'Papilio'

Name: Amaryllis 'Papilio'
Brand: Hippeastrum
Price: 44.95 CHF
Availability: OutOfStock

Hippeastrum papilio

CHF 44.95

Wild species from Brazil, not a hybrid
Orchid-like flowers like a butterfly
Creamy white to lime green with burgundy veins
Flowers about 12–15 cm, several stems
About 45–55 cm tall, flowers December and January

Hippeastrum papilio, the butterfly amaryllis, is a wild species from the rainforests of Brazil. Its flowers are reminiscent of orchids: creamy white to lime green, with strong burgundy veins and a greenish-yellow throat. A collector's plant for true enthusiasts, flowering in December and January.

About this variety

If you know amaryllis only as large red trumpets, Hippeastrum papilio will surprise you. The flowers are asymmetrical, with broad upper petals and narrower lower ones, creating the image of a butterfly. Dark burgundy veins and patches run across a creamy white to lime-green ground. The throat is greenish yellow.

At 45–55 cm tall, the plant suits a bright windowsill or the conservatory. As a wild species, its bulb stays smaller than those of hybrids and often forms several stems. Its calm colouring suits green plants, ferns and orchids. A simple clay pot underlines its natural character.

As a cut flower it is an eye-catcher in small vases. Unlike many hybrids, Hippeastrum papilio often keeps its leaves all year. The rest period is therefore shorter: reduce watering in late summer without letting the soil dry out completely. That way it rewards your care for many years.

Planting

Between October and January is the best time for potting. Choose a heavy, stable container that is barely wider than the bulb, and leave a third to half of the bulb above the soil. Place the pot somewhere warm and bright, for example on a windowsill above a radiator. Water little at first; the plant needs more water only once growth starts.

Care

Cut off faded stems and then keep caring for the plant as a foliage plant, watering regularly and feeding every two to three weeks until late summer. As this wild species often keeps its leaves, it does not need a completely dry rest period: from August water only sparingly and keep the pot a little cooler. Repotting is needed only every few years, as it likes to flower in a snug pot. All parts of the plant are toxic: not edible, keep away from children and pets.

Specifications

Botanical name: Hippeastrum papilio
Genus: Amaryllis
Class: Botanical, wild species
Supplied as: Flower bulbs
Flower colour: Green, White, Red
Flower size: 15 cm
Fragrant: No
Flowering time: January, December
Flowering season: Winter
Foliage colour: Dark green
Height: 50 cm
Spread: 50 cm
Habit: Cushion- / clump-forming
Position: Sun, Partial shade
Suitable for: Pot and container, Cutting garden
Soil type: Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy
Drainage: Well-drained
Soil moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Neutral
Soil note: Suitable for many Swiss garden soils. A loose structure and good drainage matter more than a particular soil type.
Planting time: October, November, December, January
Planting depth: Bulb one third to half above the soil
Spacing: One per pot, 2–3 cm from the rim
Number per m²: 4
Hardiness in Switzerland: Not hardy, overwinter frost-free
Hardiness by location: Not hardy, overwinter frost-free
Hardiness zone (USDA): 6–10
Overwintering note: Tolerates brief light frost. Harder or longer frost requires a sheltered spot or frost-free overwintering.
For containers: Well suited to containers
Container note: Grow in a sufficiently large container with drainage holes and good drainage.
Cut flower: Suitable as a cut flower
Naturalising: Not suitable
Naturalising note: Persists for several years in a suitable spot, but does not normally spread over larger areas on its own.
For bees and butterflies: Not attractive to pollinators
Deer and rodent resistant: No
Edible: Not edible
Toxicity: Not edible and possibly harmful. Keep away from children and pets.
RHS hardiness: H2