The bulbs we call Amarylllis, actually belong to the genus Hippeastrum, a genus of bulbs from the Narcissus-family, originating from the (sub)tropical regions of Mexico and the Caribbean down to the North of Argentina. The genus includes about 75 species and over 600 hybrids and cultivars. Some species and hybrids are cultivated for their large, showy flowers. The first commercial growers of Hippeastrum were Dutchmen. In the beginning of the eighteenth century they imported various types of bulbs from South America and started cultivating them. The name Amaryllis was derived from a shepherdess appearing in a collection of bucolic stories, the ‘Idylls’ by the ancient Greek writer Theocritus, but actually Amaryllis is the name of another bulbous plant from the same family, originating from Africa. To make it even more complicated, two Dutch growers moved to South Africa in 1946 to grow Hippeastrum there. And up till now most cultivated forms of Hippeastrum come from the Netherlands or South Africa. Generally the Dutch bulbs produce flowers first and develop their leaves afterwards. The South African varieties develop their flower stems and leaves simultaneously.