title: Hippeastrum leopoldii
text: # Hippeastrum leopoldii
  
  Hippeastrum leopoldii is a flowering perennial herbaceous bulbous plant, in the family Amaryllidaceae, distributed from Peru to Bolivia.
  
  ## Taxonomy
  
  Described by Thomas Moore in 1870.
  
  ### Etymology
  
  Named in honour of King Leopold II of Belgium, upon his visit to the Royal Horticultural Society exhibition in South Kensington in 1870 .
  
  ## Cultivation
  
  H. leopoldii has played an important part in Hippeastrum breeding programmes, resulting in the so-called Leopoldii hybrids, the most important of which was 'John Heal'.
  
  