Hippeastrum Rose Cybister - Amaryllis

Amaryllis Rose Cybister belongs to a group of Hippeastrum called Cybister, which are characterised by spider-like flowers of almost unreal beauty. This sublime variety offers corollas that are not very wide, but particularly graceful, in a magnificent gradient of pink ranging from the brightest pink to pale pink. The bulb produces 2 to 3 flower stems and each stem will bear 4 to 5 flowers, allowing you to enjoy this marvel for several weeks between December and March. This variety, which evokes a rare exotic plant, will certainly earn you compliments from everyone!

Originally from subtropical regions of Central and South America, Hippeastrum are frost-sensitive plants belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, usually grown in pots in our latitudes. When in full bloom, the Rose Cybister variety forms a clump of 55-65 cm (22-26in) in height and 30 cm (12in) in width. The flower is composed of narrow, tapered petals that are slightly twisted at the edges. They are bright pink with a darker pink centre, with pale pink highlights at the tips. The flower centre is plum-coloured, releasing a bouquet of very long, almost white, curved stamens with a pink base. Four to five 11 cm (4in) in diameter flowers crown a thick hollow stem, which will soon be followed by another, and often by a third. Positioned back-to-back, they form a unique composition together. The leaves are strap-shaped and medium green. They turn yellow and dry some time after flowering, while the large bulb enters a dormant state.

Planting an Amaryllis is a very rewarding experience. Hippeastrum Rose Cybister is very easy to grow and its growth is extremely fast; 6 to 10 weeks after planting, the flowers are already blooming. You can enjoy them throughout the winter. To give it as a Christmas gift, consider planting it in early November. This variety does not need companions to enhance its obvious beauty. You can plant a few simple snowdrop bulbs at its base, just to dress up its slightly rigid stems. Preferably place it in the sun in front of a window, for example. Trim the stem when the flowers have faded to promote regrowth.

Speaking of Amaryllis here is actually a misuse of language directly related to an error made in the 18th century. It was Linnaeus himself who used it to name the American species. However, the name was already used for another beautiful flower, this one from South Africa. Conventionally, the name Amaryllis was retained for both. And to distinguish them, the mention Hippeastrum was added for the first one and Belladona for the second one. It must be said that both deserve this name: Amaryllis means 'sparkling' and, in classical Greek literature, the plant was the subject of a pastoral poem where the beautiful shepherdess Amaryllis dies of a love that will only be accessible to her after a terrible wound and from her blood, gorgeous bunches of red flowers will emerge.