PlantFiles: Hardy Amaryllis, St. Joseph's Lily
Hippeastrum x johnsonii

This is a pass-along plant in my family too. They all live in zone 8 or 9, so when they passed it to me I wasn't sure it was going to survive the winter outside in 7a. It did! If a late frost comes, the leaves that have already come up will turn a brownish shade, but they stay alive, it still flowers, and it still comes back the next year to flower again.

This is (or was) only a passalong plant for many years. It was given to me by a sister-in-law whose Grandmother had it in Florida. A beautiful bloom and even after blooms are gone the foliage is pretty unlike other lilies. Mine is grown in fairly sandy soil and all I've ever done is given it manure.

I planted this bulb at my mother's office in Andrews, SC, in 1989. It quietly multiplied, very unattended, surviving several yard maintenance "persons". After she passed away in Aug. of 2003, I noticed the abundant planting needed attention. I dug up the entire bed of less than 3 feet square, retrieving more than 35 bulbs and relocated them to Dayton, TN, in May of 2004. Not wanting to lose one bulb, I planted them all in containers and kept them indoors.

Most all large bulbs flowered, and I collected a seed pod. When the seed pod dried, I was amazed at the seed. Paper thin, and the size of a dime. I wondered if the seed would grow? I planted them indoors, under just a slight bit of soil and to my amazement, they sprouted and are still growing.

I planted 15-20 bulbs outdoors in the fall of 2004 in Dayton, TN and Brunswick, GA. They survived! The bulbs in Brunswick were blooming on April 12th.

Both the indoor and outdoor bulbs are multiplying, and after reading the information on this site about seed collection, I now know to plant all the seeds when and IF a pod forms, as they don't store well. This may explain why the seeds I planted this spring haven't grown?

I have shared many of the potted bulbs with friends and have MANY blooming indoors today. The bulbs outside are 5-8 inches and I expect a good show in 4-5 weeks.

I killed this plant. I put it in well-drained soil against a warm, protected South wall. It probably didn't get enough water. I'm still working out how to grow Hippeastrums (at least the hardy ones) successfully outside in my zone.

I found on old abandoned farm in Kirbyville, deep southeast Texas. We have hot, humid weather. Potted up in 8" pot during the winter of 2003, and had three beautiful red blooms in May 2004.

Now that I have information on this lovely beauty, I'll plant in landscape so it can better propagate.

I live in an 1897 family home. Not sure who first planted these here, but dispite neglect over the years they keep coming back and multiply (but not invasive). They are easy to divide and a planting of single bulbs along a border will make a wonderul showing in only a few years. They last a week or more as cut flowers and even the unopened buds will continue to develope and open indoors. They are the highlight of our garden in May each year. The Memphis City Beautiful Commision has a theme of "PLant The Town Red" and these bright red lilies fit it perfectly!

These lilies were buried under a huge, half-dead fig tree when I moved to this house. They survived. After removal of the tree, the lilies were exposed to the full, blazing afternoon southern sun (and mostly neglected). They survived.

I have ripped some of them out of the ground and thrown them in a spot where I wanted to plant them (but forgot to), and they rooted themselves and survived (but I do not find that they are invasive). They have also survived heat, drought, flooding, winter cold, summer sun, and partial shade.

Each year, they provide a lovely flush of bright-red blooms for our enjoyment. Although mine are not year-round bloomers, I find the foliage neat and attractive. And, since St. Joseph's Lilies are traditional New Orleans passalong plants, I love having them in my garden.

St. Joseph's Lilies are first on my list of "Plants You Can't Beat To Death With a Stick."

This plant was already established in a northern exposure up against the foundation of my home when I moved here. The home is 7 years old. It is gorgeous throughout April/May with many blooms. Prior to this Summer it received no care, and survived the hot dry Summers of South Texas with no additional water. I would definitely classify as a Xeric plant. Wish I could find bulbs for sale.

One of the most hardy Amaryllis, it was also among the very first hybrid amaryllis produced. Bred by a British watchmaker named Johnson in the late 1800s, it was a common heirloom plant found around abandoned homsteads and cemeteries, but very scarce in the trade.