After doing a bit of research, I find that opinions vary on the pot culture of H. Papilio. From what I understand, Papilio is virtually evergreen, but does rest for a few weeks during the summer. You may, or may not have, noticed that your bulb dropped most of its leaves, but shortly thereafter, grew new ones. According to what I've read, Papilio will normally bloom sometime between October and February.

That all said... I would check the bulb and pot for pests, and bring it indoors as you would any other houseplant that has spent the summer outside... find it a nice sunny window to sit in, and care for it as you have been. When it is ready, it will bloom for you.

I have several Papilio bulbs, one adult and a few youngsters, and I grow mine indoors all year. They sit in an east facing window, and enjoy the morning sun. I also supplement with lights. I treat all of my Hippeastrum bulbs, Papilio included, as houseplants. I allow them to rest and bloom at their leisure. They're very reliable, actually.

There are several others on this forum that grow Papilio... perhaps they would be willing to share their successful culture techniques for this beautiful bulb!

well my Papilio has just bloomed, I'm in South Australia, this is the first time it has flowered since i putchased it two years ago. I keep all my hippeastrums outside in a shaded area, they never receive full sun but get good light from the afternoon. I don't water them alot either. i've been giving my bulbs some worm castings and worm tea and they seem to be a bit more lively now than in previous years.

Yup! The Papilios are waking up after their summer sleep...

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Brightening my day with a scape. First Papilio bloom of the season...

Yesterday...
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Today...
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Tomorrow will be a very lovely day!!!

Wonderful, Maria! I always enjoy seeing your bulb groups! I can only imagine what that group will look like when more decide to open!

Nicole - I hope this all helps you decide what to do with your Papilio... do stick around... the forum will become busy very soon, and you'll get to see and learn quite a bit about Hippeastrum culture! If I forgot to say it... welcome! :-)

I suppose this would explain why my papilio bulb seemed to do nothing for a part of the summer and is now growing again like a weed. The bulb has regained what it lost from its first flowering (this is a new bulb to the collection)but hasn't gotten much bigger. It also doesn't seem to like its soil that much.

Jodik, Maria-- what soil do you use for these bulbs? Different from your other bulbs?

I have to say that this summer has not been a very good growing season for my bulbs. I think they'll all bloom again this year but they didn't gain as much size as they did last summer.

I've begun switching all my bulbs to a very porous mix with larger particles... Al's Mix... and I'm getting beautiful root systems and healthy plants! The medium mix is more like a bonsai mix than a soil, as you'd think of soil. The particles are larger, and when watered, the drain through is very fast.

Regular soil compacts rather quickly, and roots literally suffocate when this happens. To have healthy roots, there must be an exchange of oxygen and gases at root level. The medium must be able to draw in water, but not hold it forever! I find I water a bit more than I used to, but it's no problem, and it's so worth it!

Below is a link to the information you'll need... there are several recipes included for different types of "Al's Mix". We all call it that because Al, or tapla, is the editor of the article, and designer of the formula, I believe.

Anyway... please read the article, and if you like, some of the responses... it's very interesting, and incredibly useful for our purposes of bulb growing!

I guess you could consider me an "Al disciple", but having learned more about growing at the scientific level, all put into laymen's terms, and seeing the results firsthand, has made me a believer!

Here is a link that might be useful: Container Soils - Water Movement and Retention

The Papilios in the 6"pots (front) are newly purchased ones last spring. The ones at the back are the older ones with their attached bulblets almost as big as the mother bulb. The bulblets seem to not go to rest. Just like Ana & Em...lol!

I would really like to document different strains of Papilio. Like their different bulb shapes, different flower shapes, fertility, leaf and leafing characteristics, growing/resting habits etc. Raydio and I are currently talking about this in DG. I only wish I had more time, materials, and space.

The one in bloom is one of the newly acquired ones (pear shaped bulbs). It has that "spikey/pointed" flowers. I will post a pic of it tomorrow. Totally different from "the Butterfly".

I also just recently acquired another Papilio bulb. The former owner said that he cannot remember it's source but he bought it in the 80s. I am hoping it would be just like my very first Papilio that got sick which has a rounder more like a huge onion shape.

My Papilio "Butterfly"...wild and untamed!
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Sighhhh...How I miss this plant. It has left me with at least 12 bulblets. The motherbulb is gone. :-(

Ryan, I used to use just pure coco peat on the Papilios. I always bottom water them then. Now that they are hosed down and get rained on, I mixed some perlite,charcoal and vermiculite in the coco peat to use as their potting mix. I "underpot" them to avoid overwatering, FEED them really good starting now that they are awake.

Stunning, Maria! Simply stunning! The Papilio Butterfly is such a gorgeous flower... I've never seen another that even comes close in comparison!

I notice, too, that my adult Papilio bulb is rather tapered toward the top... unlike my other bulbs, which are more round and onion like. My younger bulbs are more rounded, but they are little... their shape could change, I think, with age. I will say, however, that Papilio seems to be a slow grower. The first youngster I bought is still fairly small, and it should be about 2 to 3 years old, or more.

As far as medium goes, I need something a little different, since my bulbs grow inside all year. I don't want to have so much worry over rotting bulbs and roots! I've found that the more porous mixes work a lot better... they drain quicker, and the root area doesn't stay too damp for too long.

I tried cocopeat, or coco coir, and at first, I thought it might be pretty good... but even though it decomposes at an incredibly slow rate, which is good, it still compacts too fast because it's too fine. I tried mixing the cocopeat with other things, like perlite, vermiculite, charcoal, high quality potting mixes... but it always comes down to soil compaction. The finer the particles, the faster they all compact... and that's when roots begin to suffocate.

I'm now using Al's recommended mix of pine bark fines, turface, and sphagnum peat. The ingredients can be substituted... it all depends on what's available locally.

Xuan doesn't have access to pine bark or turface where she lives, so she uses a mix of coco coir chips, rice hulls, and perlite, I believe. She has noticed a big difference in the health of her plants. Plants that she couldn't grow before, because of the rains and humidity in Vietnam, she can now grow. There are discussions on soils and watering on both the Container Gardening and the Houseplant Forums.

As Maria, or anyone with success knows, proper watering plays an important role in healthy roots and plants, too. More container plants are killed by improper watering than any other one thing! If we understand how plants use the combination of soils, water, light, air and fertilizer, we can have wonderful success growing virtually anything in a container!

Maria, I can't wait to see more of your Papilio bulbs in bloom... I hope more of them decide to grow scapes soon!

Here is Papilio VII. Totally different!!!

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What happened to the wings?
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Is this a new strain..."new millenium" look?
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It looks "cyber-istic" to me...lol! The gracefulness of "the butterfly" is lost. :-(
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It's wonderful, Maria! It's much more pointed and modernistic looking! I'm an old fashioned kind of person in some respects, so I like the butterfly look, but I also think the modern futuristic one is cool!

Do you know where you got each one from? So you can sort of trace the different clones? I'm sure you'll find differences in the others, as well. I can't wait to see!

Splendid blooms Maria. They both have their unique qualities. The second form is unlike those I have. Good job!

Thanks Jodi! Have you received your seed packet yet?

Hey Patrick...Thanks! Ohhhhh...I have been thinking about you lately. One of my seedlings has a variegated leaf. A white stripe on the side of it's leaf not middle. It has but one leaf now and I can't wait to see if it holds on in the second leaf.

Yes all the Papilio bulbs are documented as to date/year purchased and sources. I have 8 bulbs of this newly acquired "pear shaped" Papilios. I don't know if they will all flower like the above. It is the first one to flower of this batch of Papilios.

I have never really documented the Papilios in detail till now that I am in this photographing thing. Look at Papilio VII's anthers. Have you guys noticed this color in your Papilios? I never did before.
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And here's a pic to compare the different Papilio bulb shapes I have for now. Left is the "pear shaped". Right is Papilio XVI, "onion shaped" and at the back is Papilio II ("Improved" from JS)with it's "I don't know what shape" bulb...lol!
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Would different bulb shapes be an indicator of different clones? Or are they just affected by different growing conditions or bulb age? Which ones are sterile and which ones are fertile? It's a long way to go to get the answers but this is a start.

Papilio growers...Any thoughts?

Sir Hans...Please join us here. I miss ya!

Yes, I have, Maria! Thank you so much! I'm behind in email, so I haven't had a chance to let you know yet... my plan is to get another flat of seeds started before I run out of summer weather! I just hope the last batch will be big enough to survive winter under lights!

I never gave it much thought, but I wonder if bulb shape and flower shape are any indication of fertility (in the papilio)... or is the bulb shape just how it's evolved in the hands of a particular grower?

I'd call the middle one a "flat onion" shape. My adult bulb is pear shaped, like yours. My little ones seem more rounded. Before seeing your collection of Papilios, I never really gave bulb shape much thought... I don't have more than 3 of any one variety, and of those that I have more than one, they're from the same grower or source.

So many questions! And so much time to wait to find the answers! If growing Hippeastrums doesn't teach the ultimate in patience, nothing in this world will!

Personally, I find the rounded bulbs more attractive, but that's just aesthetics... in the whole scheme of things, it doesn't matter, unless shape is directly correlated to fertility, or some other important aspect of growing and breeding.

This thread, and your photos and ideas, are making me think that maybe I should start sorting and changing my collection based on what I want to do in the future... my collection began rather fast, and is kind of hodge-podge! Hmmm...

I started using a 1 part peat moss and 2 parts perlite mix last winter and it seems to be working out great. Excellent drainage. I just un-potted my Minerva for the hell of it and WOW, root bound as all get out! White, plump roots.

Your potting mix should be adjusted to your growing conditions, kind of pot used, watering method and the specific need of the plant/variety. The good drainage thing is a MUST to practically all plants. With regards to amaryllis/hippeastrum collection, I use the "Three Days Rule". I have very good results with my potting medium drying out in 2-3 days after being thoroughly watered. If a particular plant's soil does not do this, I first unpot and check the bulb/roots; repot to smaller pot or repot to a mix with extra perlite or charcoal added. If bulb is resting, I seperate it from the collection that gets hosed down or rained on. Bottom watering has given the best results for me. Unfortunately with the collection has grown so much that I cannot do this anymore.

My Papilios LOVED being bottom watered.

I agree! It also depends on what is available to you at a reasonable price.

My potting mix consists of a quality mix with bits of horticultural charcoal added. The mix is always amended with perlite and vermiculite. Fortunately, I can get all three in large quantities (4 cubic ft. bags) at wholesale prices of a little over $10 per bag.

I do not measure each ingredient. I go by hand feel. If I were to guess, the final mix is about 1/3rd perlite, 1/3rd vermiculite and 1/3rd potting mix. I avoid potting mixes with excessive wood/bark chips.

Most of my hippies are kept outside from late March through late November. Despite the fact that I live in the rainiest city in the US (do google search to find out where I live), this has never been a problem. I think perhaps this is due to warmth and the fact that I use pots that drain very fast.

In fact, I have problems with too little water in times of drought. You see, an average of 67" of rainfall a year only occurs on 59 rainy days and they are mostly afternoon thunderstorms.

I guess that the one thing that I can add is that hippies drink a lot when it is HOT! When it is cool, they need very little.

Papilio, for me, is doing better in an area where they get no direct (hot) sunshine and not watered by rain. Mine did not go dormant this summer (not yet, anyway).

Maria, we need to compare notes about the bulb shape thing. I noticed that last year, but didn't determine any concrete differences in hybridization or cultural requirements. I'm still observing as these were newly acquired bulbs. Selfing and crossing between the two produced no seeds.

I ALWAYS water from above. If they are in the yard, I use an overhead sprinkler (well water). If they are on the porch or in the patio, I use a watering can. Keep in mind that they are living in temperature ranges of upper 70-80's most of the time.

BTW, the only time I have had problems with a hippie rotting is when they were NOT in my yard. I suspect that overwatering with low temperatures (night or day) and lack of good air circulation are big culprits in the cause of bulb rot problems. Also, I suspect that the bulb had a problem before I received it.

I avoid pesticides and fungicides, but if I notice a problem, I suppose I will have to do what is necessary.

Also, some bulbs are more susceptible to diseases. I am slowly, but surely learning which ones. Sometimes, it takes several tries from different sources of bulbs because one failure is not indicative of problem with a specific variety. It may, instead, be a problem from the source of the bulb.

I still have so very much to learn, and I appreciate all that Maria and others are sharing. Just please understand that my environmental conditions are different than most of yours.

You both are so right! There is no one single recipe for growing perfect bulbs! Individual environments and climates will play a huge role in how a person grows theirs, as will seasonal changes... so will medium, watering habits, type and size of bulb and container, fertilizers used...

I think in growing any plant, we need to look first at its natural habitat... then, we need to emulate that to the best of our ability. Learning proper watering is key, as well; more plants are killed by improper watering than any other one thing!

I've been gardening and growing things for most of my life, and I thought I was doing a pretty fair job of it... until I recently learned more about how plants grow and interact with their environment at a more scientific level. Growing plants directly in the garden is so different from container gardening... the medium used, along with watering and fertilizing, are critical to the health of the roots, which make for a healthy plant!

I could write a small book on what I've recently learned... but I'd just be repeating what I've written in many other posts... and so, I've included a link at the bottom of this that I think everyone who container gardens should read. It explains in fairly plain words how plants and soils and water and fertilizers all react and interact in containers. It explains drainage, and puts to rest several fallacies about that subject.

Since learning about perched water tables and how to grow healthier plants with healthier root systems, I've switched my medium and my watering practices. I now have much healthier potted bulbs and plants!

I implore you to please read the article in the posted link... I really think it will help, and not just those who are new to bulbs... I think everyone can get a little something out of it! I sure did!

Here is a link that might be useful: Container Soils - Water Movement & Retention V