Amaryllis blooms are one of Mrs. MM’s favorites. They have stunning, multicolored blooms and are so versatile to work with. Here, I used just 5 pots of amaryllis to make a large living “arrangement” for a large gathering of family and friends this evening. We dropped by the Manila Seedling Bank on our way back from Quezon City the other day, noticed these just about to peak amaryllis for PHP120-130 per pot, and brought home half a dozen pots. Next our in-house flower specialist/crew member of many many years just cleaned up an antique ceramic garden pot that is normally kept outdoors, put the five pots of amaryllis into it, balancing one in the middle and covered the base/pots with PHP40 of fresh moss. A day later, most of the blooms are open and perfect for this round side table on one corner of the living/dining room. It will probably last a week or so.
I have written about amaryllis before, my first post on the topic here from 5+ years ago. I spied them in abundance at the wholesale flower market in New York City, here. We cut them down short for stunning table centerpieces at my nephew’s wedding, here. I also found STUNNING red amaryllis on one occasion, and similar but larger cousins graced Sister’s Christmas Eve Dinner here. You might want to take a peek at the stunning white amaryllis in the Keukenhof Gardens, outside Amsterdam, or see how to gussy up a single plant in an old ceramic pot, here. An unusual way to show off not only the flowers but the bulb as well is to stick it all in a clear vase of water, here. Enjoy!
7 Responses
Exquisite, MM!! the variegated peach/salmon/white colors go well with the blue ceramic pot. so many buds ready to bloom–you’ll enjoy that arrangement for many days.
This flower is so elegant, like my favorite Tulip. I like your Amaryllis in Water in the clear vase :) An aunt gave a pot of dark red-orange variety more than 6 months ago and until now, it did not bear a flower yet so I still have not transferred it to a nice indoor pot. Would you know the flowering cycle of this plant?
oops, sorry MM, found your link about my question…thanks again!
MM, I wish you would try and put the bulbs down in the garden after the flowers wilt. You cut off the flower stalk and plant the bulb halfway in a well draining area of the garden and water and fertilize them just as you would your other plants. After a few months where the leaves multiply and make food to store energy for the flower bud inside the bulb, there will be a dieback of the leaves a signal that they will be going to dormancy at which time you stop watering and fertilizing them. After a few months flower scapes will appear, bloom for the season and then the leaves come out and the cycle begins again. The painstaking act of digging and cold storage is done only if you want to force them to flower at a certain time of the year. If you just want to enjoy their blooms you just leave them in the garden paying attention only to their need to rest a few months each season. Some will not die back and will just put out flowers when they are ready, usually in the spring.
More info here: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep060
lojet, we do often plant the bulbs but they tend to fare poorly in hot weather, though we have coaxed a few flowers back again. Actually, it’s probably best to wait for the leaves to die, then refrigerate the bulbs in the veggie drawers for a few months (don’t eat them by mistake) then plant them again and hope they come back to life like it’s the next year’s spring… :)
I love amarillo—especially the orange variety—reminds me of my father who loved the plant.
The picture looks like a beautiful watercolor painting!