Rhodophiala is a genus of southern South American Amaryllidaceae that look like small-flowered Hippeastrums or multiflowered Habranthi. It has been placed in Hippeastrum, in the former Amaryllis or even in a new genus Rhodolirion. The foliage is very different from all known Hippeastrums and rather resembles that of the large flowered Habranthus or Zephyranthes (i. e., narrowly strap-shaped).
From the cultivation point of view we can separate them in four groups:
- The autumn/winter/spring growing Chilean species that need a dry summer dormancy, like bagnoldi, ovalleana, splendens, advena. All of them are better grown under frost free conditions although several of them can be quite tolerant of cool conditions. Some flower in autumn without leaves, others in spring with leaves. Propagation from seed as only single bulbs are found in the wild. Alkaline to neutral soils in the wild, always in full sun.
- The spring/summer growers from the Andes of both Chile and Argentina. They spend a long very dry winter under snow. They include rhodolirion, araucana, andicola, elwesii and some 3 or 4 undescribed species. These need cool conditions the year round but are half hardy in places like England. Flowers produced in Spring with leaves in most cases. Propagation from seed but in some species offsetting individuals can be found. Neutral to acid soils in the wild, always in full sun.
- The autumn/winter/spring-growing Rhodophiala bifida from Uruguay and Argentina. It is dormant in summer but receives year-round rains. Therefore intolerant of thorough summer drought that would make it lose the roots. It is quite hardy (-12 C frosts are experienced by the southernmost populations). Summers always long and hot in the wild. Propagation from seed as only individual bulbs are found in the wild. There is an interesting range of color forms in this easy species. As a rule a population has flowers of a single color with few if any variant. It flowers in late summer before heavy foliage production. Alkaline soils in the wild although it the northernmost corner of its distribution it grows in acid red clays. Full sun in all cases.
- The dark “oxblood lily” form of Rhodophiala bifida grown in Texas. It flowers in autumn before leaves. It is well known by its strong offsetting habit and no seed production. The color form of this variant is found in a population of the Province of Entre Rios, Argentina.
Much of the information on this genus and how to cultivate it furnished by Alberto Castillo in his March 2003 
Introduction to the Pacific Bulb Society list topic of the week on Rhodophiala.
Rhodophiala advena is an autumn winter spring growing species from Chile that blooms in late spring or summer. Flowers are warm crystalline colors ranging from pale orange to deep rose. Photo one is by Den Wilson of a red form. Photos two and three of two other color forms are by Osmani Baullosa. The final photo was taken by Mary Sue Ittner at Telos Rare Bulbs.
Rhodophiala araucana: Summer-grower. Reported to be polyploid (2n=54). Seedlings have produced various shades from very pale pink (near white) to peach and bright scarlet-red. Photo by Den Wilson. Photo two is RHODOPHIALA araucana grown from seed acquired from IBS, labeled 9-13-01, but not planted until January 2002. Has been under lights the entire time, the first flower in full bloom, 04-11-2003. Photo by Kelly Irvin. Picture three is the second of only two seed survivors in the before mentioned acquisition, photo taken 05-16-2003. This inflorescence has 3 blooms instead of 2. Amazing how different a sibling can be. Photo by Kelly Irvin. And picture four is another plant showing how incredibly variable this species can be. Photo taken on 11 July 2005 by Mark Wilcox.
Rhodophiala bagnoldii is from Argentina and Chile where it grows in coastal deserts. It is a winter grower with yellow or orange flowers that appear in the spring with leaves often remaining green until late spring. It grows best in a very gritty mix. Photos by Osmani Baullosa.
Rhodophiala bifida (Herb.) Cabrera is a very common species in the north east and central Argentina and Uruguay. The flowers can be red, dark red, pink or white as you can see in the pictures. In Argentina you can find Rhodophiala bifida from Misiones (northeast) to Buenos Aires (central east). The color variation sequence is: red in the north, dark red, pink in the north of Buenos Aires (where white-flowered individuals can be found) and dark red in the south of Buenos Aires. According to Orfeo Crosa in Uruguay the flowers are usually pink near Montevideo and red in the north.
The pictures one through five are all taken by Germán Roitman and represent some of the different color forms. Photo five was taken in April 2003 near Corrientes, Argentina after a fire. Photo six is a picture by Bill Dijk. Photo seven was taken Sept. 2004 by Lee Poulsen. The plant photographed was received as Rhodophiala pratense. It flowered at the same time as Rhodophiala bifida, and looked like a pink version of it. It looks very much like the rosa form that Germán uploaded.
Rhodophiala bifida bulbs from Texas get their stock from heirloom bulbs found in Texas. The first three photos were taken in 2003 by Lee Poulsen from bulbs obtained from Old House Gardens. This variety exploded into bloom. The fourth photo was taken by Patty Allen showing some of the pink forms she grows. The fifth is from Mark Wilcox taken September 2005 is a close view of the flowers in Washington, DC, of plants obtained from Plant Delights Nursery. The six and seventh pictures are macro shots of the Texas form of R. bifida grown in Honolulu, Hawai`i by Jacob Knecht.
Rhodophiala chilense Summer-grower. In some forms the outer half of the segments are stained with pink or red. Photos by Den Wilson and Mary Sue Ittner. The last two photos were taken at Telos Rare Bulbs.
Rhodophiala elwesii from the Argentinean and Chilean Andes has yellow flowers. Photo by Den Wilson.
Rhodophiala 'Granatiflora' was considered to be a giant Rhodophiala bifida until Dr. O’Farrell found the true bifida in the same area of Uruguay. 'Granatiflora' is very rare in the wild, only a few individuals remaining. It has the same cycle as bifida but conditions are warmer and it is better grown frost free. It has very large flowers with blunt tipped tepals (tapering in typical bifida) and is larger in scape, bulb and foliage. It is found in rocky hillsides in the wild in slightly acid soils. Full sun.
The first photo is a picture by Mark Wilcox of 1 year old Rhodophiala granatiflora plants, grown from seed furnished by Alberto Castillo. They were grown under lights inside. The plants have formed bulbs from 0.5 inches/1.25 cm to 2 inches/5 cm. They're quite different in shape from Rhodophiala bifida, but may be distorted due to the bulbs trying to dig their way through the bottom of the pot. Some roots show a definite corkscrew shape, although not easily visible in this picture. Only the top halves of the bulbs show a tunic. Some have gone dormant while others are in active growth. 20 plants grew from the seed, which would seem to indicate a germination rate of 100%. The second photo is a picture by Germán Roitman of adult plants of Rhodophiala granatiflora, from Alberto Castillo´s garden.
Rhodophiala laeta from the coastal mountains of central Chile has red to purple widely opened flowers in late spring. Photos by Osmani Baullosa.
Rhodophiala mendocina from Mendoza and Neuquen in Argentina photo by Germán Roitman.
Rhodophiala montana is a yellow-flowered species from the central Chilean Andes. The photo that can be seen at the URL below is tentatively identified as this species. Jane McGary grew it from seeds collected in that region in 1996. It is shown flowering in an unheated bulb frame (the flowers in the background are a penstemon). One identifying characteristic of this species is horizontally held flowers; this plant is just opening its flowers, but they do orient horizontally later.
Rhodophiala phycelloides is from the central Andes of Chile where it spends the winter under snow. It has 3 to 6 red almost tubular flowers with flared tips and exserted stigmas. Leaves appear with the flowers in spring. Photo by Osmani Baullosa.
Rhodophiala pratensis from Chile has scarlet flowers that are yellow at the base. It blooms in early summer with leaves present. Photos by Den Wilson and Mary Sue Ittner. The last photo was taken at Telos Rare Bulbs.
Rhodophiala rhodolirion is a beautiful alpine species from the Chilean and Argentinean Andes where it grows in rocky places and spends the winter under snow. It has white or pink flowers with a greenish yellow base and crimson guide lines often broken into streaks and dashes. Leaves appear after flowering. Photo by Osmani Baullosa.
Rhodophiala sp. This is an unidentified alpine species, possibly Rhodophiala phycelloides. Photo by Osmani Baullosa.
To see other pictures of this genus besides those on this page, and for other information (in French), see Pascal Vigneron's web site.
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