Amaryllis belladonna (naked lady)

The bulbs prefer a warm, sheltered spot in full sun. Loose soil enriched with organic matter suits them best. Plant bulbs with their tips at soil level. They can also be grown in pots, planting the large bulbs singly (20cm pot) or in threes (30cm pot). Blooms are carried in late summer on naked stems. Leaves appear after the flowers and will remain throughout the winter into the summer. Once planted they do not like to be disturbed.

In mildly cold regions, garden grown bulbs should be given a mulch of dry leaves or peat over winter. In colder regions (Scandinavia, Central Germany), bulbs are best grown in pots which should be taken inside over winter to a cool, sunny place for the foliage to ripen.