Sprekelia (S)
Hardy to zone 7 or 8 with protection.
This member of the amarylllis family may be grown outdoors for summer bloom or indoors as a houseplant for spring bloom.
To grow in the garden from Zone 7 north, plant the bulbs in a lightly shaded part of the garden in spring after all danger of frost. Set them 8" apart and cover with 4" of soil. They should bloom in 6-8 weeks. For earlier bloom, start indoors in pots in early spring and transfer to the garden. During active growth in garden or pots, water heavily and feed every week. Keep the foliage growing as long as possible, then dig up the plants before frost. When foliage withers, remove it and store bulbs in sand or peat moss in a cool location.
To grow in pots, set each bulb in a 6" pot with the neck protruding above the soil surface and give them plenty of water and at least 4 hours of direct sun daily. After blooming, container-grown plants should be sunk in their pots in the garden so foliage continues to grow. Bring indoors before frost and let rest until spring.
