Originating from South Africa, the Amaryllis flower commonly referred to as the Belladonna lily or even the naked ladies is a beautiful plant that impresses the florists with its pure aesthetic qualities. The name Amaryllis was first mentioned by Virgil in his “Ecologues” and it’s inspired by a word which has a very appropriate meaning to describe this particular flower, that of “to sparkle”. The beauty of this flower has even inspired parents to name their daughters Lily, a name which is widespread nowadays in the English speaking countries.
Just as the rose is the symbol of passion, love and desire, it seems that people have associated the Belladonna lily with drama and dramatic, with women who are beautiful, but very sensitive, majestic on the outside, but soft and delicate on the inside. The common perception or even the literary perception of this symbol of the Belladonna lily has become very rooted in our culture and it’s widely used worldwide. 
The ability of the Belladonna lilies to bloom indoors has made of this flower a treasure for the flower dealers which sell a huge amount of such flowers in the winter. The Belladonna lilies most often occur in white with crimson veins, but it’s not uncommon to see also pink or purple lilies born naturally.
The Belladonna lily or Amaryllis flower comes from the bulbous family, with bulbs that measure between 5 and 10 cm in diameter. With narrow and flat leaves and blooming flowers which resemble a lily, the Belladonna lily is a very popular plant first cultivated in the eighteenth century. From then on, the flower has even gained a Herbert Medal which was offered to Mulford B. Foster by the International Bulb Society in 1951 for his activity with selecting and breeding amaryllis.
The reproduction process of the Belladonna lilies involves either bulb division or seeds and it commonly requires a resembling South African habitat to develop. Although nowadays florist can cultivate this plant all over the world, the flat lands of the tropics and subtropics are the most appropriate soils. 
A recognizable characteristic of this Belladonna lily is the green leaves positioned in the shape of a strap, with a length between 30 and 50 cm and a width of 2 to 3 cm. In cold climates these leaves appear in autumn or early spring and the Belladonna lily produces one or two stems topped by flowers in different colors, white, purple, pink etc. The flowers measure up to 10 cm in diameter and represent a floristic delight to anyone interested in flowers and nature’s beauty.
If you want to plant Amaryllis in your own garden you should take into consideration some conditions. One of them is to plant them with a space of 20 to 30 cm and in a sunny environment, in the spring. A rich and moist soil is what these plants need to grow healthy. The duration of the germination process is between 3 to 16 weeks. If you chose to cultivate them indoors, the Belladonna lilies require individual pots and temperatures between 19 to 24 degrees.
Belladonna Lily Gallery Pictures
