Amaryllis ‘Benfica’ (Hippeastrum)

Attention-seeking with its regal blooms, Amaryllis ‘Benfica’ (Hippeastrum) features large, rich blood-red, velvety flowers, up to 8 in. across (19 cm), adorned with a lovely sheen towards the throat. Its high flower count and tall scapes make it a popular cut flower.

• Elegantly rising up to 20 in. (50 cm), each bulb produces 2-3 stems and 5-6 flowers per stem and blooms 6-8 weeks after planting. The bigger the bulb, the more chance it will produce more flower stems with several flowers to a stem.
• Incredibly easy to plant, nearly foolproof to grow, it provides weeks and even months of bloom indoors as potted plants or cut flowers. What more could you want?
• Since the flowers do not bloom simultaneously, the overall flowering period lasts a fairly long time.
• Hardy to USDA zones 8-11, Amaryllis bulbs may be planted outdoors (deep South only). They will bloom in late spring – early summer and may be used in rock gardens or in garden beds amongst groundcovers or perennials
• The nice thing about forcing Amaryllis bulbs into flower in the home is that it is so simple to do. What’s more, once the bulbs have flowered, they can be stored and brought into flower again.
• Ingestion may cause stomach upset.
• Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.