You are having the opportunity of obtaining seeds from several Hippeastrum species, from Mauro Peixoto.

The (although few) informations I received until now are positive and indicate that I can recommend him. He is using the Pay Pal system.
The construction of his website is clearly focusing on the description of Brasilian plants and the numerous images provided within respire carefull observation of the nature and enthousiastic photographic reproduction of its beauties.
It is not a commercial website, so I am feeling myself legal to post his address here.

Hans-Werner

PS.: Yes, several Hippeastrum species have to be considered as threatened of extinction; I presume even the majority of!

Here is a link that might be useful: M. Peixoto's Hippeastrum Page

Hans Werner !

Thanks for this link !

I didn't know there were so many beautiful species !

Are you planing to use them for hybridizing ?

Hi Bergit;

Thank you particularly - for your feedback.
I am deeply concerned about this LOW feedback in the Hippeastrum threads on this forum and just now reflecting about the sense to post here anymore.

I learned from several sources that there exists an approximate minimum of 70 and a maximum of 80 species, respectively, the diversity being dependent on what is acknowledged as true "species" or "solely" a subspecies or variety of another species.

Approximately (only...) 10 of them were the breeding source of the common tetraploid gardener's amaryllis which can be admired everywhere. These hybrids are looking more uniform as compared to the species, particularly new discovered species.

Now the interest is more and more focusing on these new shapes and new color patterns of species and rather original hybrids from them.

As I have some indirect information from the web poor people from these south american countries where Hippeastrums mainly originate from, are systematically collecting everything they hope that they can sell as "beautifull" to interested foreigners. And you know, old woods and natural environment is continuously destroyed day for day by the industrisalization of the country.

Many plants with no "extra beautifull" features will thus become extinct, I presume. The more "outstanding" will be "conserved" by botanical collections ans amateurs.

For my part; I possess only H.aulicum v.robustum; H.cybister"Chico" and H.papilio ("the" evergreen clone).
But, unfortunately, all these three are self sterile.

And yes, I have already performed all the remaining 6 crossbreeding combinations between these and the seedlings are on their way to bloom maturity. The first of them which I expect to bloom next spring are these from H.aulicum v.rob. x H.papilio. To my astonishment these seedlings were very different in growth speed and I finally selected only 7 of this grex for further evaluation.

However, actually there is coming 4 of my 5 seedlings of H.papilio x ("Donau" x "Ambiance") into bloom. Let's wait and see what arises from these spear shaped bracts which are emerging. Should yield something similar like H.papilio x "Donau" but more white and more narrow segments, I guess...

But now I answer your last question more concise I am not looking for "rare" and "valuable" species. Excuse me, this kind of thinking is - not my way. I simply try to ge out by what strategy I can obtain the most beautifull blooms from the breeding material I already have. You understand the difference? Yes - breeding is the real game for me, not being the owner of elsewhere nearly extinct plants. But do not misunderstand me: If I HAVE a good opportunity to get a rare and beautifull plant I shall never say no. And I would feel that it is an honor to possess this rarety.

And if I finally felt deeply that I inevitably NEED a certain Hippeastrum species in order to realize a concrete breeding target I would not hesitate to contact Mr. Peixoto. A German forum collegue of mine ordered 10 H.papilio seeds from him and these germinated ALL.

Hans-Werner

Thank you so much for the link!

I am also interested in Amaryllis species for breeding purposes.

I have to say, I have been really shocked at the lack of information and interest in Hippeastrum species. I've been trying to search for information about the species, and for vendors that are selling them, but I found absolutely nothing.

Coming from the perspective of an orchid grower, I am used to seeing a tremendous interest in orchid species and an emphasis on orchid conservation and protection from sources such as CITES. I am so surprised that the same does not exist for Amaryllis.

P.S. Do you know the source of the seeds from Mauro Peixoto? Are the collected from the wild?

Thank you again!

Hans Werner !

I , and many others ( I know because they have they have commented on your postings ), enjoy reading your postings and have learned a lot from you, SO DON'T YOU LEAVE US !!!

I have printed out many of them , texts as well as pictures. When it comes to "advanced" growing of Hippeastrum I'm a newbie, so I "take" more than I "give". It's always a question of taking and giving, and I do understand if you feel that you "give more than your gain" at the moment.

By the way : One of my Hippeastrums ( autumn -03 ) was wrongly labeled. It has thrumpetshaped flowers, white with red stripes, or rather veines. I thought it might be a species rather than a hybrid, though that would be unusual coming from a comercial source in Holland. Well, none of the species at the webpage you linked for us lookes like my H. So it is probably a hybrid after all. See ; there I learned something ! I used this bulb in my hybridizing ( maybe too "big" a word when we talk about 6 seedpods ).

:-)

From the teaspoonlady

Hello Bergit :-) sweet teaspoonlady

I would be very interested to see your trumpet shaped flower with veins. All that what you happen to obtain from commercial sources is without doubt hybrids.

Do you have a digital camera?!
And a photo editor (windows) to resize your jpg image file to a size of approx. 80-150 kB.
Then you register (sign up free) at photobucket.com and upload your files from your hard disc there!
And you simply copy the Tag line under the thumbnail preview image into your posting. So: quick, before your blooms of this striped cultivar fade...in these warm summer days. I LIKE trumpets!

And I learned something a little bit "sophisticated" but rather basic html code to include clickable thumbnail photos as link to the big images:
click on the images...
{{gwi:3088}} {{gwi:19330}}
{{gwi:20949}}
Hans-Werner

Here is a link that might be useful: test with thumbnail images

Hello creeping _fig;

Mr. Peixoto offers seeds from a limited number of varieties only. From that I conclude that these originate from plants of his own collection he is talking of. That is the only thing I can say in the moment. Yes I understand the implication of your question.

Hans-Werner

haweha, Hans Werner...sir. I am speaking up after many months of lurking, visiting this web on bulbs, to learn more about bulbs and especially about Amaryllis. I love them and have planted many store bought varieties. I always visit to learn new things about Amaryllis since I now have had mine 2 years or more. I have learned how to grow from seed, and even shared with other friends. I am a regular on the Florida Forum. I sincerely hope you will not leave this Forum. I think many people will miss your knowledge and kind helpful direction. I was so disappointed to see an Amaryllis/Hippeastrum separate Forum never formed. In any event. I am a stranger because you all seem so serious and knowledgeable and I was afraid to jump in. I am just a beginner compared to most of you here, but I am absorbing your knowledge, advice and techniques. So I finally speak up to tell everyone who has helped me enjoy many of my garden passions, especially the bulb garden-THANKS and please don't leave Hans, you've been educating a lot more people than you think. Cindee

Hans Werner !

Together we conclude my thrumpetshaped H. IS a hybrid. It bloomed in February, I used pollen from it on H.'Toronto', a white with red stripes and very triangular curled back petals. Most of the seedplants from this cross have more narrow leaves than the ones from "modern hybrid x modern hybrid". So in this case I should keep also some which are not "superior", don't you agree ?

I didn't take digital photoes of it. I took a lot of pictures of my autumn-03 Hippeastrums when they first bloomed ( but used a traditional camera with film ). When it comes to me learning to post digital photoes. Well, I have printed out the information you and others have given here lately. And eventually I will have a go. But no it's summer ...

I had a look at your thumbnail pictures, the red one to the far right is the most beautiful red H. I have ever seen ! Is that one of your seedlings ?

And of course, if you tell me not to look at something then I don't. But you know, others might be less disciplined, so this isn't the place to hide your innermost secrets !

lol Bergit

Hello Cindee;

thank you for your amiable words

and...Hello Bergit;

Ok- there is no alternative to keeping the apparently inferior seedlings if you want to evaluate the outcome of this crossbreeding. On the other hand you can hardly conclude from the shape of a seedling how the leaves in a more adult stage will look.
Simply select some of the best shaped and quickest growing from these; and raise them into bloom maturity as fast as possible.

As regards to these pink-white flowers with darker pink central feathering...both images are from the same plant taken some days ago.

As particularly digi cam users will know, pink and lilac is very difficult to be reproduced. The true color is between pink and purple and was re-established with the help of a photo editor and yields blue shadows in other parts of the picture - as you can observe in the right image. The left image was not at all corrected. It is un-manipulated but the color is simply uncorrect.

May I direct you to another part of the forum...
to the GardenWebBulbImageGallery Section...
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/bulbs/gal0618123211415.html?1

This section of the GardenWeb seems not to be known so well; what a pity...

Hans-Werner

By the way, are you familiar with amarylis-plus.com? I notice that they also supply species bulbs, but I am not familiar with them.

http://amaryllis-plus.com/

Yes I kmow this website and as far as I understand they are "supplyg" bulbs from primary hybrids of hippeastrum species solely. This is interesting, but it is something different. But nevertheless, interesting offers... and thank you for this information to the forum community!

Hans-Werner

Hans-Werner, It is my understanding that the seed must be fresh. How fresh is fresh? In other words how long are the seed viable?

Alyson

Hello Alyson

You obtain a good germination rate from gardener's amaryllis (hippeastrum) even after 1 month.
But- I prefer immediate sowing after a few days only, regardless to winter or summer.

I have indications for that thinner and smaller seeds for example from cybister hybrids loose their viability much faster, which is plausible.

If you have some precious knight star lily seed material and are reflecting how to store it (because it is winter) then I recommend you to find a place to sow them instead, at the windowsill or in the greenhouse or in the appartment with plant light from fluorescent tubes and not perform experiments...

Hans-Werner

Hans-Werner,

In your opinion do you think that it would be worth my time and money to order from the web site that you posted above?

I have several pots of what I think are blossfeldiae. I usually harvest the seed and sow them immediately...that is the ones that don't fall back into the pot before I can get them.

Hello Alyson;

I already HAVE recommended him.
Simply write him an e mail for details.
Or did you have bad experiences with him?!

Hans-Werner

Hans-Werner,

No, No I have no experience with him at all. I just knew that the seed needed to be fresh to be viable. If I order from this gentleman, I really would have no way of knowing how fresh the seed were. I know that my H. species, bloom around Febuary and the seed have long been planted. I guess I just worried that I would be wasting my money. I have ordered numerous times by mail but never from another country. Well, I take that back I have ordered Heliconia from Costa Rica, they arrived in great shape.

Alyson

Hi Hans-Werner,

Are you sure that Amaryllis-plus only supplies primary hybrids? From their website, it looks like they also supply bulbs from species as well, although I suppose it could be deceiving.

Yes you are right.

Indeed they do offer 6 species.
Personally I would be interested only in H.mandonii.

I do not agree with the offer of H.aulicum, specified by the photos:
The images show 2 different cultivars of this species.
The second is similar or identical to H. aulicum v.robustum; the first similar to v.stenopetalum (but here I am not so sure.

Such indications of possible non authenticity always make me very...critical.

Hans-Werner

I currently have Hippeastrum papilio in bloom and have an interest in dabling in breeding. I found this thread on a search. I thank you for the direction in looking for other species. They don't seem to be easy to obtain.

Hello, delray54 !

If you are interested in breeding using H. papileo, have a look at the Gallery here in Bulbs Forum. There are some nice pictures of crosses with H. papileo.

Good luck !