Growing Tips for Amaryllis Belladonna Lily

When I moved to the Midwest region of the United States, there was a beautiful pink lily that bloomed at the end of summer. My neighbors told me that the flower was commonly called “naked ladies”. The common name seemed odd because this pink flower was glorious. I searched for it online and learned that the flower growing wild in my yard was the Amaryllis Belladonna lily.

Here is a postcard that I made from a photograph I took of Belladonna lily in bloom. You can see that this is a beautiful flower that will brighten your garden.

Pink Belladonna Lily Bloom Postcard by Sgolis  

I have transplanted this lily and found that it is easy to grow outdoors and indoors during the winter months.

There are several ways to grow the Amaryllis; in the winter as a houseplant and then transplant it to your outdoor garden in the spring after the threat of spring frost has passed. Or you can buy the bulbs and plant them in outdoor containers or in your gardens.

Growing Tips

1. Select an area in your garden that has full sun to shade in the heat of the day.
2. Plant naked ladies in soil that has been amended with compost.
3. The garden site needs to be well-drained
4. When fully grown the naked ladies' flowers are 24 to 36 in height, it is best to plant them in an area where they will not be overcrowded. Space the lily bulbs one foot apart.
5. Plant the bulb so the top is even with the soil surface.
6. Water well when planting is completed

Here is a photograph of Belladonna lilies growing in my side yard.

The fragrant pink rose flowers will bloom from tall naked stems (no leaves) in late summer to early autumn. The lilies are hardy to 28F.  Note I have grown these flowers for many years.  Where I reside it is not uncommon for the temperatures to dip below zero in the winter months.  This is why  I protect my lilies with 3 to 4 inches of mulch in late fall.

In my experience, the lilies that are planted with a wind block, in an area that has morning sun/ afternoon part shade in the peak heat of the day and is not watered daily seem to have vibrant blooms and long-lived flowers.

Other Growing Tips

Choose your planting site well and then do not disturb the naked ladies. If you transplant them it will take a few years for the plant to produce blooms.

Grow in full sun, for zone 7 to 11 and height is 28-35 inches / Common name is Belladonna lily, Cape belladonna, Naked ladies