There is a tremendous amount of growing information on Hippeastrum (and almost all other plants growing from an underground storage organ) available free on the Web site of the
Pacific Bulb Society.
The garden amaryllis is genus Hippeastrum, from South America. The true genus Amaryllis is from South Africa and won't hybridize with Hippeastrum.
People may join the (older) online E-mail discussion and (newer) Web-based forum discussion free. These two don't overlap much. Paying Society members get the mailed-quarterly color journal and access to the bulb/seed exchange. Many years of the past E-mail discussion are archived, readily available and searchable. Many members have extensive university botanical training, and the photos on the PBS Web site are routinely consulted by researchers.
A number of PBS members hybridize Hippeastrum. After perusing the archives they would welcome questions from newcomers, and I am certain they would be very helpful.
It's a very friendly group. I haven't seen the moderators need to spank any children in the 20+ years I've been a member, but then orchidists are famously high maintenance.
Hybrid Mode
