5 Small Amaryllis Belladonna or Naked Lady Bulbs

How to Grow Amaryllis Belladonna or Naked Lady Bulbs

Amaryllis Belladonna or Naked Lady Bulbs produce green leaves in the spring and bloom in August in warm climates. Flower stalks emerge from bare ground without foliage. They are perennial and bloom in place for decades. The bulbs grow into large clumps unless divided and replanted. They are planted shallowly near the surface or with necks sticking out a little, The bulbs will take some frost. If planted in cold climates, plant the bulbs deeper to avoid hard freezes.

Amaryllis Belladonna or naked lady bulbs need little care and will bloom with little water. They will divide into one larger and other smaller bulbs to make clumps.

Amaryllis Belladonna or Naked Lady Bulbs are best planted just below the surface of the soil. The neck of the bulb should be level with the surface. In colder climates mulching or lifting and overwintering is thus required. The bulbs may be grown from baby bulbs. Belladonna bulbs require little watering and are drought tolerant.

The bulbs produce one to two erect, solid stems which appear in late summer. They bear 2–12 showy, fragrant trumpet shaped flowers on a ‘naked’ or leafless stem, which gives it the common name of naked lady lily. The pink flowers may be up to 10 cm in length. They appear in the autumn before the leaves which are narrow and strap shaped grow in the spring.

These bulbs grow all over the world and on almost every continent. Belladonna is a Latin word meaning beautiful lady. There are many common names around the world, thus for instance, in Portugal, one name is Meninas Para Escola (girls going to school) referring to the flowers blooming when the girls in their pink uniforms are starting the new school year.