Amaryllis Belladonna
Amaryllis belladonna
📖 About this plant
Known as the ‘Naked Lady’ or ‘Belladonna Lily’ for its habit of producing large, fragrant, trumpet-shaped pink flowers on tall leafless stems in late summer before any foliage appears. The strap-like leaves emerge after flowering in autumn. A dramatic, low-maintenance bulb that thrives in hot, dry conditions and naturalizes readily in Mediterranean-climate gardens.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun (6+ hrs)
Every 1-2 weeks
Moderate (40-60%)
10-25°C
Well-draining, sandy or loamy soil with organic matter; slightly acidic (pH 6.0-6.5); plant bulbs with neck exposed
Low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer (e.g., bone meal) at planting and after flowering; avoid excess nitrogen
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- South Africa — Western Cape region; naturalized in Mediterranean climates worldwide
- 📏 Max height
- 45-90 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 30-45 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Late Summer - Fall
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Pink, White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- TOXIC — contains lycorine and other phenanthridine alkaloids in all parts, especially the bulbs; ingestion causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain
- 🌱 Propagation
- Offset bulb separation in late summer when dormant; seed sowing (takes 3-6 years to flower from seed)
🛡️ Health & Safety
TOXIC — contains lycorine and other phenanthridine alkaloids in all parts, especially the bulbs; ingestion causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain
Common issues
- Failure to bloom from insufficient chilling, Red blotch fungal disease, Bulb rot from waterlogged soil
💡 Care tips
- Naked lady lily produces fragrant pink trumpet flowers on bare stems,Foliage appears in spring then dies back before flowers emerge in fall,Plant bulbs with necks exposed above the soil line,Drought-tolerant once established and naturalizes freely
