Saturday, May 1, 2010

Hippeastrum x johnsonii from the FONA Plant Sale

This hybrid Amaryllis is a plant I have been wanting since I began this garden. It has reportedly been grown in Zone 6 so there's no problem with hardiness here in 9a. I divided the pot into three clumps and planted them in a triangle. The variegated white monocot behind the Amaryllis is a variegated form of Dianella, an Australian native. They took quite a beating this winter; much cleaning was required. Barely visible on the left side between the Sabal palm and the Dianella, is the regrowth from Hamelia patens, the Firebush. This Florida native died back from a 5'x4' plant but will recover this growing season. Some years it's a shrub,some a die-back perennial. Always, a wonderful plant.

We've never been down here thiis late, early?, so I hadn't realized there are three other clumps of this Amaryllis in the community. The hybrid is purportedly over 200 years old and has traditionally been a passalong plant. Plant Delights and Brent and Becky;s are among a good number of nurseries that now offer it.

2 comments:

Nic said...

That amaryllis/Hippeastrum is beautiful. If it is supposedly hardy up to Zone 6 maybe I should give it a try in my parents' yard in Michigan...

Anonymous said...

Your varigated Dianella is very easy to grow in pots and winter over in a medium light window.