Eucharis

Eucharis is a genus of about 15-20 species of monocotyledonous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to Central America and South America from Guatemala south to Bolivia.

It is a bulbous plant with a bulb 2-6 cm diameter. The broad stalked leaves are 20-55 cm long and 10-20 cm broad. The large showy white flowers are borne in an umbel of three to ten on an erect scape 40-80 cm long. The flowers resemble daffodil flowers in having a prominent central cup or corona, which is sometimes tinged with green.

Eucharis amazonica and the hybrid Eucharis x grandiflora are the best-known and most generally cultivated species.

It is propagated by removing the offsets, which may be done in spring, potting them singly in 15 cm pots. It requires good loamy soil, with enough sand to keep the compost open, and should have a good supply of water. A temperature of 18° to 20°C during the night, and rising to 25°C in the day. During summer growth is to be encouraged by repotting, but the plants should afterwards be slightly rested by removal to a night temperature of about 15°C, water being withheld for a time, though they must not be left dry for too long, the plant being an evergreen. By the turn of the year they may again have more heat and more water, and this will probably induce them to flower.

With a stock of the smaller plants to start them in succession, it is possible to have plants in flower all the year round.

A hybrid has been raised between Eucharis and the allied genus Urceolina, given the hybrid name X Urceocharis.

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