Hippeastrum Benfica

This beautiful Hippeastrum 'Benfica' bears flowers of a deep Bordeaux crimson, a colour that is both rare and exceptional, with the depth enhanced by the thick and velvety texture of the petals. The flower is illuminated by a lighter halo around a purple throat. An elegant variety, perfect in winter bouquets combined with fir green foliage or white flowers. Extra size 36+ bulb.

From the Amaryllidaceae family, hippeastrum is native to South and Central America. It is grown in pots in our latitudes and blooms indoors during Christmas. This excellent variety 'Benfica', introduced in 2001, was awarded in England by the Royal Horticultural Society. In full bloom, the plant reaches a height of 50cm (20in) (sometimes more) and forms a clump of leaves 30cm (12in) wide. The wide funnel-shaped flowers measure up to 16cm (6in) in diameter. This immense flowering consists of 6 wide and thick petals, of a very dark and velvety red. The heart of the flower is even darker, releasing a bouquet of long curved stamens of the same tone. 4 to 6 flowers decorate the top of one or two large and thick hollow stems. Positioned back-to-back, they form a unique composition together. The dark green and shiny leaves are deciduous and ribbon-like.

Planting an amaryllis is a very rewarding experience. Hippeastrum is very easy to grow and its growth is extremely rapid. The flowers bloom 6 to 10 weeks after planting. You can enjoy them throughout winter. Plant it at the beginning of November if you want to give it as a Christmas gift. Ideally, position it in the sun, in front of a window for example. Trim the stem when the flowers fade to promote floral regrowth. To accompany the 'Benfica' flowers, add branches of holly with red berries to your bouquet, as well as narcissus and white hyacinths whose flowering can be accelerated through forcing, for example.

The Latin name "Amaryllis" was the subject of heated discussions among botanists: originally, this name referred to another plant, similar in appearance and native to South Africa: Amaryllis belladonna. When Carl von Linne used this name to refer to it, as well as to the Hippeastrum (are you still following?), there was an outcry and the battle raged on until 1987 when the botanists decided: the Latin name Amaryllis is retained for the African species Belladonna but should no longer be used as the Latin name for Hippeastrum.

Keep the pot in a well-lit place. Keep it warm if you want to speed up flowering, or in a cooler room at 10°C (50°F) to slow it down. Adding fertiliser is unnecessary before flowering, but necessary afterwards to replenish the bulb's reserves.