Hippeastrum Tres Chic

Amaryllis Tres Chic, also known as Hippeastrum, is a bulbous plant with a single tricoloured flowering with a lime green throat, bordered by white and then ox blood red.

Originally from subtropical regions of Central and South America, Hippeastrum plants, being frost-sensitive, are usually grown in pots in our climate. The Tres Chic variety will capture attention thanks to the contrast of its colours. The flower's heart is lime green. 4 to 6 huge flowers, averaging 20 cm (8in), proudly rise above one, often two, tall and thick hollow stems which are 55 cm (22in) tall in this variety, whose chocolate brown to burgundy colour contrasts with the bright colours of the flowers. Positioned back to back, they form a unique composition together. The leaves are deciduous, ribbon-like, and dark green. Planting an Amaryllis is a very rewarding experience. Very easy to grow, it has extremely rapid growth. 6 to 10 weeks after planting, the flowers are already blooming. You can enjoy them throughout the winter. What a comfort to have this magnificent plant indoors when the weather is raging outside and the garden is dormant. To give it as a Christmas gift, remember to plant it at the beginning of November. And for your own pleasure, pair it with the extravagant Amaryllis Chico. Preferably place it in the sun, for example, in a window. Trim the stem when the flowers have faded to encourage a second flowering.

Amaryllis is actually a misuse of language directly related to a mistake made in the 18th century. It was Linnaeus himself who used it to name the beautiful American plant. However, the name was already used for another beautiful plant, this one from South Africa. Conventionally, the denomination Amaryllis has been kept for both plants. To distinguish them, the mention Hippeastrum is added for the first one and Belladone for the second one. It must be said that both deserve this name: Amaryllis means 'sparkling' and, in classical Greek literature, it 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. From her blood will emerge beautiful bunches of red flowers.