Hippeastrum striatum --- A Miniature Species

Hippeastrum striatum is a beautiful species from Brazil and Argentina with spectacular orange flowers that measure only a few inches across.  This species has been used extensively for breeding small/miniature or as called the "sonatini" Hippeastrum.  There are many hybrids that have distinct characteristics of H. striatum such as: 'Voodoo', 'Christmas Star' and 'Piccolo'. A wonderful benefit of using H. striatum in breeding is that it passes the ability to mature very quickly in its progeny and only requires a bulb the size of a small kiwi fruit to bloom (in most cases).

There are lots of variation within' this species and quite a few synonyms such as rutilum, flugida, crocatum and several others.  It's a large debate whether H. petiolatum and H. striatum are the same species, their growing habits and flowers have very similar charecteristics.

This clone and many others are self-fertile, sadly it only produces two flowers per scape, a common trait amongst Hippeastrum species  It seems to bloom twice a year at minimum, once in Spring and usually once in late Fall, this would be spectacular if passed into its progeny as the Hippeastrum flowering season is short lived.  H. striatum is quite easy to cultivate: it resists rot well, it blooms very regularly, it tolerates frost and grows just as well in full sun as it does in partial shade. I would suggest this species for those interested in growing Hippeastrum, it's quite rewarding!

Hippeastrum ferreyrae -- An Endangered Peruvian Species

Hippeastrum ferreyrae is one of Peru's native endangered plants according to the 1997 IUCN's Red List, this may not be the case now as it has been fourteen years since being published.  While we all hope that H. ferreyrae has increased in population the likeliness of this is quite slim.  Thank goodness this plant is being grown by a few others and it is possible we have different clones to produce seed.  Of course I will try to self pollinate but the outcome of it producing seed with its own pollen isn't great as most Hippeastrum are not self fertile. 


Hippeastrum ferreyrae is native to Peruvian forests at around 150-200m in elevation and is also found in quite a few Peruvian gardens around the native area.  They bloom usually in September in the Southern Hemisphere and obviously my plant has yet to switch it's growing period to the Northern Hemisphere but it's quite nice to have something bloom when everything else is slowing down for the year!

Hippeastrum ferreyrae

 H. ferreyrae can bloom from incredibly small bulbs, the bulbs can grow to a substantial size and usually only have 2-3 flowers per scape.  The bulbs generally have short necks and leaf out following the blooming period.  The coloring of the flowers could almost be mistaken for a pink but they're a salmon color to almost a red with a luminescent overcast on the petals.  They flowers aren't large by any means but they're not small with the pollen being a nice golden yellow at anthesis.  It seems to be a prolific off setter as is it's very close relative Hippeastrum puniceum.