A flamboyant winter bulb

I've been watching this Hippeastrum x acramannii gradually coming into flower in the unheated glasshouse. 

It's one of the less commonly seen of the Hippeastrum hybrids which are sold in great number in shops and garden centres at this time of year, wrongly labelled Amaryllis. They are quite different, though related, Hippeastrum being native to South America and Amaryllis to South Africa. The nursery trade can be quite stubborn sometimes!

This old hybrid is unusually hardy - I've had some out in the garden though I can't remember if they're still there. They're supposedly hardy down to Zone 7, but probably need a sunny, well-drained place. 

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