Amaryllis belladonna

Belladonna Lily – English 

As we go into the early part of September there are many signs that the hot summer days are coming to an end. One of them is the sudden arrival in the garden of the lovely large pink trumpets of the Amaryllis belladonna. It is a deciduous bulbous perennial, native to south and south-west Africa (particularly South Africa). It has large rosy-pink to white trumpet shape flowers  that have a sweet fruity scent borne on strong dark purple stems of 50 to 80cm. This is also the cut flower we sometimes see offered for sale in local markets at this time of year. It is the one and only species in this South African genus and is not to be confused with the South American Hippeastrum – packaged and sold over the Christmas period wrongly labelled as ‘Amaryllis’.

If there are such things as ‘cottage garden’ plants in Portugal then this is definitely one of them. It is very common near the front doors of older houses and the many ruins which lie abandoned in the Algarve hills and rural areas,  easily shared and spread around between neighbours and families. Belladonna is Italian meaning ‘beautiful or pretty lady’. Some authorities mention that belladonna lily was introduced to Britain in 1712 via Portugal.

When planted in masses the blooms are spectacular, yet each flower is a gem all on it’s own. Superbly adapted to summer drought and winter rainfall – it needs no irrigation. The strap-like bright green leaves appear shortly after the flowers have faded and last through to the following early summer. Do not be tempted to disturb them during the dormant period as this is when the all important buds are formed. Plant bulbs in well drained situations where they will ´bake´ during the summer months. 

Propagation is recommended by lifting and dividing clumps in late summer after flowering. These large bulbs are a classic for any Mediterranean home and come in a lovely range of colours from palest pink through to a dark red.

Amaryllis is the name of the shepherdess in the pastoral poetry of the Greek poet Theocritus (c.310-250 BC) and 200 years later of the Roman poets, Virgil (70-19 BC) and Ovid (43 BC-17 AD).

Warning – the bulb and seeds are poisonous.