The solarium in our hospital is a place where patients can sit and relax, or work with plants and flowers. I took one of my patients there today and saw a number of plants which I have known as an Amaryllis in various stages of growth. These large bulbs are popular Christmas gifts as they grow quickly with wonderful, showy blooms.
I looked up Amaryllis and was surprised to learn that the popular name for these plants is a misnomer. The Amaryllis belladonna is also known as a naked lady, a flower I featured in an earlier Friday Flowers post. The plant pictured here is a Hippeastrum, which is Greek for Horseman's Star. It is native to subtropical regions of the Americas and is a genus of the family Amaryllidaceae. (The Amaryllis belladonna is an African genus of the same family.)
Call this plant whatever you want, but there is no doubt that it is a cheerful indoor bloom for snowy and cold days, a bit of bright colour when it is grey and white outdoors. It grows so quickly that changes can be seen daily making it an interesting flower for children to observe.
I looked up Amaryllis and was surprised to learn that the popular name for these plants is a misnomer. The Amaryllis belladonna is also known as a naked lady, a flower I featured in an earlier Friday Flowers post. The plant pictured here is a Hippeastrum, which is Greek for Horseman's Star. It is native to subtropical regions of the Americas and is a genus of the family Amaryllidaceae. (The Amaryllis belladonna is an African genus of the same family.)
What a good idea for a Christmas gift!