It’s Amaryllis Time!

What could be better than a ridiculous pop of bright color in the garden when the calendar still says mid-winter? The amaryllis in the Tree Grove started blooming several weeks ahead of schedule this year, and the brilliant orange spikes are drawing their usual gasps of admiration.

Amaryllis is actually a misnomer for this plant, which is more properly called Hippeastrum. Hippeastrum is in fact a genus in the family Amaryllidaceae, but it's different from the actual amaryllis, which is native to South Africa and commonly known as belladonna lily. All of the "amaryllis" bulbs and plants sold for indoor and outdoor use are actually Hippeastrum. An easy way to tell the difference is that true amaryllis has no leaves - the stalk grows straight up from the ground (click here for an example).

Regardless of the name, this plant is incredibly easy to grow. The foliage may freeze back in cold weather, but the flower stalks appear reliably each year just the same. And they spread and multiply rapidly, allowing you to divide and spread them around your gardens. Find them here at MOSI in the Tree Grove, especially under the Ray Charles Live Oak and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Live Oak.