Content
- Where does the Ritterstern come from? - Information on the origin of the Amaryllis
- Located in the Peruvian Andes
- Perfectly adapted to subtropical climate
- Proper care requires a rethink
- Tips
The Peruvian wild species Hippeastrum vittatum is the ancestor of most Amaryllis species in our country
Where does the Ritterstern come from? - Information on the origin of the Amaryllis
The origin of a plant gives the hobby gardener valuable information regarding professional planting and exemplary care. Read here from which regions of the world the Ritterstern found its way to us. These conclusions are based on the cultivation of a Hippeastrum.
Located in the Peruvian Andes
The magnificent varieties that delight us with their lavish flowering in the midst of winter, often come from the wild species Hippeastrum vittatum or another of more than 100 species. These are native to the subtropical regions of South America, preferably in the Peruvian Andes, in southern and central Brazil.
Perfectly adapted to subtropical climate
Thanks to a powerful onion as a persistence organ, a knight star is optimally equipped for the subtropical climate of its regions of origin. Under mostly rather cool temperatures, rainy growing periods and dry periods of rest alternate with each other.
Proper care requires a rethink
For cultivation in Central Europe, the origin results in an opposite vegetation cycle with a flowering time in winter, which underlines the charm of the Amaryllis as a houseplant. In order to properly cultivate a knight star under these premises, the following aspects come into focus:
After a period of 6 to 8 weeks of regeneration, repot the plant. The knight star spends his growth rest in the cool, dark cellar, freed from withered foliage.
Tips
For more than 100 years the knight star heated the minds of botanists, as they could not agree on its taxonomy. Due to its amazing similarity with the Real Amaryllis (Amaryllis belladonna) from South Africa, the knight star fell for a long time also in this category. Only since 1987, the South American plant is assigned as a Hippeastrum of its own genus. The name Amaryllis has of course been preserved in the vernacular as a common name.