Hippeastrum intiflorum Vargas

I know that I posted a picture of this last year, however, this year the flowers are significantly larger.

Doug Westfall (April 2, 2004)

I have an image of Hippeastrum intiflorum which Dennis Tsang felt very strongly that I "must" post.

Doug Westfall (8 May 2003)
Long Beach, CA

Julio Cesar Vargas Calderon

Cesar Vargas 1970
Cuzco, Peru

Very little has been written in the literature about Hippeastrum intiflorum. These are the observations made in my Southern California garden.

The Inca people believed that "Inti" (Quechua for the sun) was the ancestor of the Inca people. So, the name, "intiflorum" means the "Flower of the Sun," or "Flower of a god"? Certainly, the flower is one of the most beautiful of the Hippeastrum. The species is native to Quispecanchis Province in the Department of Cusco, Peru. It grows in deep river gorges above 2,500 meters.

While the bulb probably has a significant amount of shade in the wild, it seems to benefit from a sunny location in cultivation. It should be planted in well draining soil in a two to five gallon container. My soil mix consists of 4 parts sand, 2 arts forest mulch, 2 parts peat, and 1 part perlite or pumice. The growth tip of the bulb is planted at or just below the surface of the planting mix. Hipp. intiflorum seems to thrive and bloom with regular feedings of quarter strength liquid fertilizer.

(Thanks to Dennis Tsang, Albert Castillo, and the encyclopedia for information on location and meaning of the name.)

Doug Westfall (August 17, 2003)