Sonatini Hippeastrum Ballentino

The cardinal red flowers of Sonatini Hippeastrum 'Ballentino' have a handsome flash of white in the centre.

These bulbs are so tough, they are comparable to the good old Nerines or Daffodils, plant them once and they will be around for decades to come. Sonatini Hippeastrums were developed in South Africa to cope with all terrains, from snow on the ground to the heat of the tropics. This has allowed us to grow Hippeastrums in the ground, even in cool climates without having to lift them each year.

Once established, each Sonatini Hippeastrum bulb will produce two or three stems. Each stem will bloom with up to four or five flowers. Each flower is 6-12cm across.

They will grow and thrive in cool climates down to -15C, so even Southern states can leave the bulbs in the ground. In these areas they are semi evergreen, though they will remain evergreen in warmer zones. Like all Hippeastrums they can be grown in pots and bought indoors when blooming for display.

Sonatini Hippeastrums are relatively new to Australia and they are taking it by storm. As dwarf cultivars, they are a little smaller than your average Hippeastrum, but they make up for it with their vigorous growth and easy going nature.

Plant in moderately fertile to humus rich, moist, well drained soil. Choose a sunny position and ideally keep the soil free of weeds. Water to establish then only if rainfall is low in active growth.