Hippeastrum leopoldii

Description

Hippeastrum leopoldii (synonyms: Amaryllis leopoldii) is a flowering perennial herbaceous bulbous plant, in the family Amaryllidaceae, distributed from Peru to Bolivia. Described by Thomas Moore in 1870. Named in honour of King Leopold II of Belgium, upon his visit to the Royal Horticultural Society exhibition in South Kensington in 1870. H. leopoldii has played an important part in Hippeastrum breeding programmes, resulting in the so-called Leopoldii hybrids, the most important of which was 'John Heal.