The origin of a plant gives the hobby gardener valuable information regarding professional planting and exemplary care. Read here from which regions of the world the Knight's Star found its way to us. These conclusions can be drawn about the cultivation of a Hippeastrum.
Where does the amaryllis originally come from?
The knight's star, also called amaryllis, comes from the subtropical regions of South America, especially from the Peruvian Andes and southern and central Brazil. The plant is adapted to the subtropical climate and has over 100 species, including the wild species Hippeastrum vittatum.
Native to the Peruvian Andes
The magnificent varieties that delight us with their lavish blooms in the middle of winter often come from the wild species Hippeastrum vittatum or another of more than 100 species. These are native to the subtropical regions of South America, preferably in the Peruvian Andes, in southern and central Brazil.
Perfectly adapted to subtropical climate
Thanks to a powerful bulb as a survival organ, a knight's star is optimally equipped for the subtropical climate of its regions of origin. In mostly cool temperatures, rainy growth periods alternate with dry periods of rest.
Proper care requires a change in thinking
For cultivation in Central Europe, the origin results in an opposite vegetation cycle with a flowering period in winter, which underlines the appeal of the amaryllis as a houseplant. In order to properly care for a Ritterstern under these premises, the following aspects come into focus:
- Best planting time is in November for flowering after 6 to 8 weeks
- Place in a bright, not full sun location at 18 to 22 degrees Celsius during the flowering period
- After the flowering period, continue to water and fertilize until the end of July
- The knight star spends the summer growing season on the sunny, warm balcony
- Stop the water and nutrient supply from August
After a regeneration phase of 6 to 8 weeks, repot the plant. The Knight's Star spends its dormant period of growth in the cool, dark cellar, freed from withered leaves.
Tip
For more than 100 years, the knight's star heated the minds of botanists because they could not agree on its taxonomy. Due to its amazing similarity to the real amaryllis (Amaryllis belladonna) from South Africa, the knight's star also fell under this category for a long time. Only since 1987 has the South American plant been assigned to its own genus as Hippeastrum. The name Amaryllis has of course remained popular as a common name.
