Hippeastrum papilio

When people talk about amaryllis that looks like a big orchid - and they do talk - Papilio is the one being raved about. This variety, also known as the Butterfly Amaryllis, combines an exotic flower form with petals striped in a pale creamy green and deep cranberry. Always the last to flower, this beauty wraps up the amaryllis season with aplomb.

The butterfly amaryllis (Hippeastrum Papilio) is native to the Atlantic rainforests of southern Brazil.* Of the 60 or so species of Hippeastrum, half are native to Brazil. Many are limited in range which is probably why the butterfly amaryllis was not discovered until 1967. Pedro Ravenna described and named it Amaryllis papilio in 1970. In 1997, it was moved to the genus Hippeastrum by Johan van Scheepen. Although similar, true Amaryllis are African; Hippeastrum are South American. Both genera belong to the family Amaryllidaceae. ”It had been reported that the butterfly amaryllis was extinct in the wild." The above was quoted from: http://www.killerplants.com/plant-of-the-week/20050221.asp which also has a nice picture. Amaryllis Papilio makes a great houseplant. It grows best when kept frost-free with evergreen leaves. These bulbs are 18-20 cm cir. If planted this winter they are likely to bloom right after planting. After that we are going to plant the remaining bulbs and harvest fresh bulbs after each order.