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| Category: Bulb/Tuber/Rhizome etc. |
| Family: Amaryllidaceae (Onions) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Flower Color: Mixed |
| Bloomtime: Summer |
| Fragrant Flowers: Yes |
| Synonyms: [x Amargyia parkeri?] |
| Parentage: 9Amaryllis belladonna by Brunsvigia josephinae) |
| Height: 2-3 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): No Irrigation required |
| Winter Hardiness: 15-20° F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Amaryllis belladonna hybrids (Hybrid Naked Lady) - A hardy bulb in mild winter regions with long, dull-green leaves that emerge in fall and die back in late spring, forming foliage clumps 3 feet across. Tall flower stalks appear in late summer with clusters of trumpet-shaped, fragrant flowers, while the foliage is dormant. Will grow in nearly any soil type, along as it drains well. Plant in full sun. Low water needs. Plants hardy to 15-20 degrees F. These plants are seedlings of our white and dark flowered forms of Amaryllis belladonna hybrids, which are presumably back crosses of the Amaryllis belladonna with a Brunsvigia josephinae cross that is often called x Amarygias or x Amargyia parkeri. The flower color varies from white to pale pink and dark reddish-pink with some picotees. Amaryllis belladonna comes from the Cape Province in South Africa. The genus name Amaryllis comes from the Greek word 'amarysso' which means "to sparkle". In Greek mythology, Amaryllis was a shepherdess and singer and it is thought that she was the inspiration for the name of the plant with its beautiful pink flowers. The specific epithet belladonna is derived from the Italian bella donna, which means beautiful lady. Typically called Naked Lady in the U.S. because the flowering occurs when the foliage is not present but other common names include Jersey Lily, Belladonna-lily and March lily in the southern hemisphere. The British tend to call it Jersey Lily because of a famous painting title "A Jersey Lily" that show the English actress, Lily Langtry (1853-1929) holding the flower. The title was in reference to Langtry being from the island of Jersey but many took it as the name of the flower and so it became widely known as the "Jersey Lily". It is thought that the Portuguese probably brought the amaryllis bulb from South Africa to Europe as early as the 16th century. . There is considerable confusion as to whether the plant that has been in cultivation in California is actually the true Amaryllis belladonna or if early hybrids from the 19th century between Amaryllis belladonna and Brunsvigia josephinae, the bi-generic hybrid called x Amargyia parkeri that was more vigorous and had more flowers that we held in a rounded head, replaced the species as the dominant plant. Certainly these plants we grew as Amaryllis belladonna hybrids were the result of later such hybridization, but some claim that all of the Naked Ladies currently grown share this hybrid parentage. While this argument continues and remains unresolved we will continue to list the common garden plants as Amaryllis belladonna and this plant as a hybrid of it.
The information that is presented on this page is based on research we have conducted about this plant in our library and from reliable online sources. We also consider observations we have made of it in the nursery's garden and in other gardens we have visited, as well how it performs in our nursery crops out in the field. We incorporate comments that we receive from others as well and welcome getting feedback from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if they know of cultural information that would aid others in growing Amaryllis belladonna hybrids. |
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