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Monday 25 February 2008

Eucharis amazonica


Eucharis amazonica is a most beautiful plant. This picture was taken at the end of November 2007. What a joy to get such flowers in winter! The rest of the year it has showy broad leaves.

It is a striking and exotic conservatory specimen or houseplant originating from South America. It produces an umbel of typically five large, white, showy, scented flowers on 2ft stems. The flowers resemble a delicate daffodil in having a prominent central cup or corona. It is evergreen and should not be dried out to rest. It likes good loamy compost and is best in bright shade.

It is expensive to buy, if you can find it. I will divide the bulbs in this pot at some point. If you would like a bulb, in leaf, please let me know. For the bargain price of a pint of ale, I'll bring some to a walk, by arrangement. It is a really lovely plant, which I have grown for years. To me, the scent is an exquisite vanilla-like fragrance and is quite lovely. Not everyone can smell it, but even so, the foliage and flowers are stunning without the scent.



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is wonderful plant indeed!!!. How do you get it to bloom?. Mine hasn't bloomed this year.
Thanks for your time.
Susan

Sussexrambler said...

Hi Susan

Keep it moist and feed week feed in the spring and summer especially in a light (not too bright) window and it will bloom. Mine is in a WNW facing window. That room gets quite cold in winter (much colder than some nurseries claim is necessary) and thrives. Frost will kill it of course. Mine never goes outside.

Peter

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