Hippeastrum × johnsonii (Bury) Herb.

St. Joseph's Lily; Hardy Amaryllis

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

St. Joseph's Lily is an introduced herbaceous perennial from a bulb in the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae). It is a garden hybrid first produced in the 1700’s or early 1800’s in England. Although the exact parents of this hybrid are unknown, many believe it to be a cross between Hippeastrum reginae and Hippeastrum vittatum, two species native to South America. It has a long history of cultivation in the coastal areas of the Southeast, and is one of the most cold hardy Amaryllis species. It occasionally persists after cultivation around old home sites or on roadsides. In Alabama it has been collected in the extreme southern portion of the state. It is a perennial from a large ovoid bulb, forming clumps. Each bulb produces 2-7 large leaves. The leaves are flat, channeled, linear in outline, dark green in color, and somewhat fleshy. Flowers are produced in an umbel on an erect, round scape up to 2 feet in height. The umbel consists of 2-6 large individual flowers. Individual flowers are funnelform with 6 red tepals with white strips. The fruit is a capsule. St. Joseph's Lily prefers a well-draining soil in full to partial sun. Plants can be grown from off-sets, divisions of clumps, or by sectioning bulbs.--A. Diamond

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Not Native

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