116 Species of Genus Hippeastrum

Hippeastrum: A Personal Journey into the Realm of “Knight’s Star” Lilies

As an avid gardener and plant enthusiast, I, Ferb Vu, have always been drawn to the vibrant beauty and captivating allure of flowering bulbs. Among my favorites is the genus Hippeastrum, commonly known as the “amaryllis,” though this is a bit of a misnomer. These stunning plants, with their large, trumpet-shaped flowers and strapping leaves, never fail to bring a touch of the tropics to my home and garden.

The name Hippeastrum originates from the Greek words “hippeus,” meaning knight, and “astron,” meaning star, aptly describing the flower’s shape. It was the renowned botanist William Herbert who bestowed this moniker upon the genus in the 19th century, distinguishing it from the true Amaryllis of South Africa.

A Diverse and Dazzling Genus

Hippeastrum is a diverse genus boasting around 90 species and over 600 hybrids and cultivars. These bulbous perennials are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, from Mexico south to Argentina, and even some Caribbean islands. They thrive in warm climates and well-drained soil, making them a popular choice for gardens and indoor containers alike.

  1. Hippeastrum abatinguara Campos-Rocha & A.S.Medeiros
  2. Hippeastrum aglaiae (A.Cast.) Hunz. & A.A.Cocucci
  3. Hippeastrum amaru (Vargas) Meerow
  4. Hippeastrum andreanum Baker
  5. Hippeastrum angustifolium Pax
  6. Hippeastrum apertispathum (Traub) H.E.Moore
  7. Hippeastrum arboricola (Ravenna) Meerow
  8. Hippeastrum argentinum (Pax) Hunz.
  9. Hippeastrum aulicum (Ker Gawl.) Herb.
  10. Hippeastrum aviflorum (Ravenna) Dutilh
  11. Hippeastrum blossfeldiae (Traub & J.L.Doran) Van Scheepen
  12. Hippeastrum brasilianum (Traub & J.L.Doran) Dutilh
  13. Hippeastrum breviflorum Herb.
  14. Hippeastrum bukasovii (Vargas) Gereau & Brako
  15. Hippeastrum caiaponicum (Ravenna) Dutilh
  16. Hippeastrum calyptratum (Ker Gawl.) Herb.
  17. Hippeastrum canastrense Dutilh & R.S.Oliveira
  18. Hippeastrum canterai Arechav.
  19. Hippeastrum carassense Campos-Rocha & R.C.Mota
  20. Hippeastrum cardenasii R.Vásquez & R.Lara
  21. Hippeastrum caupolicanense (Cárdenas) Van Scheepen
  22. Hippeastrum cipoanum (Ravenna) Meerow
  23. Hippeastrum condemaitae (Vargas & E.Pérez) Meerow
  24. Hippeastrum correiense (Bury) Worsley
  25. Hippeastrum curitibanum (Ravenna) Dutilh
  26. Hippeastrum curupira Campos-Rocha & M.Peixoto
  27. Hippeastrum cuzcoense (Vargas) Gereau & Brako
  28. Hippeastrum cybister (Herb.) Benth. ex Baker
  29. Hippeastrum damazianum Beauverd
  30. Hippeastrum diniz-cruziae Dutilh & Semir
  31. Hippeastrum divifrancisci (Cárdenas) R.Lara & R.Vásquez
  32. Hippeastrum divijulianum (Cárdenas) Meerow
  33. Hippeastrum doraniae (Traub) Meerow
  34. Hippeastrum dutilhianum (Büneker, R.E.Bastian & C.M.Costa) Christenh. & Byng
  35. Hippeastrum elegans (Spreng.) H.E.Moore
  36. Hippeastrum escoipense Slanis & Huaylla
  37. Hippeastrum espiritense (Traub) H.E.Moore
  38. Hippeastrum euryphyllum (Ravenna) W.A.Medina & Roitman
  39. Hippeastrum evansiae (Traub & I.S.Nelson) H.E.Moore
  40. Hippeastrum ferreyrae (Traub) Gereau & Brako
  41. Hippeastrum forgetii Worsley
  42. Hippeastrum fragrantissimum (Cárdenas) Meerow
  43. Hippeastrum fuscum Kraenzl.
  44. Hippeastrum gertianum (Ravenna) Dutilh
  45. Hippeastrum glaucescens (Mart. ex Schult. & Schult.f.) Herb.
  46. Hippeastrum goianum (Ravenna) Meerow
  47. Hippeastrum guarapuavicum (Ravenna) Van Scheepen
  48. Hippeastrum harrisonii (Lindl.) Hook.f.
  49. Hippeastrum haywardii (Traub & Uphof) R.Lara & R.Vásquez
  50. Hippeastrum hemographes (Ravenna) Dutilh
  51. Hippeastrum hugoi (Vargas) Gereau & Brako
  52. Hippeastrum idimae Dutilh & R.S.Oliveira
  53. Hippeastrum iguazuanum (Ravenna) T.R.Dudley & M.Williams
  54. Hippeastrum incachacanum (Cárdenas) Van Scheepen
  55. Hippeastrum intiflorum (Vargas) Gereau & Brako
  56. Hippeastrum kromeri (Worsley) Meerow
  57. Hippeastrum laklano Campos-Rocha & M.Peixoto
  58. Hippeastrum lapacense (Cárdenas) Van Scheepen
  59. Hippeastrum lara-ricoi A.L.Moya, D.Villalba & Zent.-Ruíz
  60. Hippeastrum lavrense (Ravenna) R.S.Oliveira & Dutilh
  61. Hippeastrum leonardii (Vargas) Gereau & Brako
  62. Hippeastrum leopoldii T.Moore
  63. Hippeastrum leucobasis (Ravenna) Dutilh
  64. Hippeastrum lunaris Campos-Rocha & Meerow
  65. Hippeastrum macbridei (Vargas) Gereau & Brako
  66. Hippeastrum machupijchense (Vargas) D.R.Hunt
  67. Hippeastrum mandonii Baker
  68. Hippeastrum maracasum (Traub) H.E.Moore
  69. Hippeastrum marumbiense (Ravenna) Van Scheepen
  70. Hippeastrum mauroi Campos-Rocha & Dutilh
  71. Hippeastrum menesesii R.Vásquez & R.Lara
  72. Hippeastrum minasgerais (Traub) Meerow
  73. Hippeastrum miniatum (Ruiz & Pav.) Herb.
  74. Hippeastrum mirum (Ravenna) Christenh. & Byng
  75. Hippeastrum mollevillquense (Cárdenas) Van Scheepen
  76. Hippeastrum monanthum (Ravenna) Meerow
  77. Hippeastrum morelianum Lem.
  78. Hippeastrum multiflorum Büneker, K.Soares & L.C.Assis
  79. Hippeastrum nelsonii (Cárdenas) Van Scheepen
  80. Hippeastrum oconequense (Traub) H.E.Moore
  81. Hippeastrum papilio (Ravenna) Van Scheepen
  82. Hippeastrum paquichanum (Cárdenas) Dutilh
  83. Hippeastrum paradisiacum (Ravenna) Meerow
  84. Hippeastrum paranaense (Traub) Meerow
  85. Hippeastrum pardinum (Hook.f.) Dombrain
  86. Hippeastrum parodii Hunz. & A.A.Cocucci
  87. Hippeastrum peruvianum Meerow & Campos-Rocha
  88. Hippeastrum petiolatum Pax
  89. Hippeastrum pseudopardinum (Cárdenas) R.Vásquez & R.Lara
  90. Hippeastrum psittacinum (Ker Gawl.) Herb.
  91. Hippeastrum puniceum (Lam.) Voss
  92. Hippeastrum pyrophilum R.E.Bastian
  93. Hippeastrum ramboi R.E.Bastian & Büneker
  94. Hippeastrum reginae (L.) Herb.
  95. Hippeastrum reticulatum (L’Hér.) Herb.
  96. Hippeastrum roseoalbum R.S.Oliveira & Dutilh
  97. Hippeastrum rubropictum (Ravenna) Meerow
  98. Hippeastrum sanfranciscanum Dutilh & R.S.Oliveira
  99. Hippeastrum santacatarina (Traub) Dutilh
  100. Hippeastrum scopulorum Baker
  101. Hippeastrum stapfianum (Kraenzl.) R.S.Oliveira & Dutilh
  102. Hippeastrum starkiorum (I.S.Nelson & Traub) Van Scheepen
  103. Hippeastrum stigmovittatum (Büneker, R.E.Bastian & C.M.Costa) Christenh. & Byng
  104. Hippeastrum striatum (Lam.) H.E.Moore
  105. Hippeastrum stylosum Herb.
  106. Hippeastrum teyucuarense (Ravenna) Van Scheepen
  107. Hippeastrum traubii (Moldenke) H.E.Moore
  108. Hippeastrum umabisanum (Cárdenas) Meerow
  109. Hippeastrum vanleestenii (Traub) H.E.Moore
  110. Hippeastrum variegatum Gereau & Brako
  111. Hippeastrum velloziiflorum Campos-Rocha & Meerow
  112. Hippeastrum verdianum Büneker & R.E.Bastian
  113. Hippeastrum viridiflorum Rusby
  114. Hippeastrum vittatum (L’Hér.) Herb.
  115. Hippeastrum wilsoniae L.J.Doran & F.W.Mey.
  116. Hippeastrum yungacense (Cárdenas & I.S.Nelson) Meerow

Cultivating Hippeastrum: A Rewarding Endeavor

Cultivating Hippeastrum is a rewarding experience, even for novice gardeners. These resilient plants require minimal care and offer a spectacular floral display in return. I’ve found that providing them with ample sunlight, well-drained soil, and occasional watering is key to their success.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Hippeastrum is their ability to be forced into bloom indoors during the winter months. By carefully controlling their dormancy period and providing the right conditions, I can enjoy their vibrant blossoms even when the weather outside is frightful.

The Allure of Hippeastrum

The appeal of Hippeastrum lies not only in their striking beauty but also in their versatility. Their large, showy flowers make them a perfect centerpiece for any floral arrangement, while their ease of cultivation makes them a popular choice for both indoor and outdoor gardening.

For me, Hippeastrum represents a connection to the natural world, a symbol of resilience, and a source of endless fascination. Their vibrant colors and unique forms never cease to amaze me, and I eagerly anticipate the arrival of their blooms each year.

Hippeastrum in the Digital Age

In today’s interconnected world, the appreciation for Hippeastrum extends beyond the garden and into the digital realm. Online communities and forums dedicated to these plants provide a platform for enthusiasts like myself to share knowledge, experiences, and even rare bulbs.

The use of digital tools and resources has revolutionized the way we interact with and learn about plants like Hippeastrum. From online databases and identification apps to virtual garden tours and expert advice, the digital age has opened up new avenues for exploring the world of botany.

Looking Ahead

As I continue my journey with Hippeastrum, I am excited to witness the ongoing development of new hybrids and cultivars. The possibilities for breeding and cultivation are endless, promising an even more diverse and dazzling array of these “knight’s star” lilies in the future.

I believe that the appreciation for Hippeastrum will only continue to grow as more people discover the beauty, versatility, and ease of cultivation of these remarkable plants. Whether you are a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, I encourage you to explore the world of Hippeastrum and experience the magic for yourself.

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