Amaryllis coop, pictures, questions, sharing and chat

I played bee a little with the first Moonlight flowers, (I think Moonlight plus Moonlight...). You can also see the second scapes for one of the Moonlights and for the Jewel.

Good morning, langbr! One of my Moonlights has a small offset bulb. If you're patient (and if I'm not doing anything stooopid), I can send it to you when it grows a little bit. I'll take a pic of it as soon as my batteries recharge...

I also have seeds, if you have the patience... (see the post above and one of the following ones)

Enter the month of December... a stressful evening for me, DH decides to cheer me up and we check the bagged bulbs that sat quietly (I wish sometimes they would talk...)
Lo and behold, Pasadena decided to flower in the bag... So, if you don't have a pot and soil, or a vase and pretty stones and water... you can still have blooms (PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!!). We hurriedly potted it, and all the remaining bulbs...

left to right: a second Picotee (first died of unknown cause) and Pasadena 1 and 2

and the other 5, L to R: Orange Sovereign, Dancing Queen, Red Peacock, and Papillio 1&2 (OS and the 2 Ps have flower buds, more evident for the OS; in previous pic, Picotee also has one flower bud, less "visible" than Pasadenas, though...)

A closer view (shame, Goofy!) of the bag-curved-flowered Pasadenas... Not visible in this one, but the full-flowered one has a second flower stalk, fortunately unopened yet...

The other one has the chance to straighten up before opening... blah pot, but it's what I found in a hurry...

It is my fault for forgetting about the bulbs, probably Pasadena has a tall scape, but mine are less than 1 ft tall...

The Amaryllis today:
The Pasadenas (bag-flowered spent stalk plus second close to blooming on the right, the "swan" from previous picture opened on the left). In fron, the two Papillios, growing slowly.

The Orange Sovereign is over 1 ft tall now... still growing (leftmost one)

Last Jewel scape. Moonlight and baby (left), the other M in the back

Pasadena closeup (the former "swan")

and Moonlight seedheads and seed... now what?

Goofy, in one of your posts you said something about their not being double. I had no idea any of them would be double. From the sounds of some of yours, I think maybe you overwatered? Is that possible? You said you had it in a non-glazed porous pot. Did it have drainage?

Also, my Moonlight, the one bud that didn't rot because of too much water, lasted 10 days to 2 weeks. I didn't time it but it lasted quite a while. I notice that you have a nice light place for yours. In a window. That is nice. I have to put a light on mine. An HPS.

I have a Papillo that almost bloomed in the bag and it is going to be short stemmed. But, one of the websites said something about them being miniatures. Has anyone else heard that?

Jeqanette

I believe Papilio is a mini, Jeanette.

Goofy: I would THRILLED to say the least to get your Moonlight baby if you're willing to give it away. Thank you so much.

Goofy as soon as you get those seeds plant them or give away. They need to be potted right away, viability is very short on Ammy seeds. If you would like to give a few to me I will gladly take them. HINT!

But truthfully don't wait more than a month to do anything with those seeds.

Robin, I would love to send you some seed! I didn't forget your generosity this past spring, and at that time I had nothing I could send back! Please take another look at those seedheads, and let me know if I can take them, pack them and send them, as I have absolutely no experience with this kind of seed. The two cracked seedheads opened two days ago.

Langbr, then it's yours. Let me know if you're willing to wait till early spring, so I don't mess up, with weather and such.

Jnette, yes some Amaryllis are double, Jewel, Dancing Queen and Pasadena are such examples. A single-flowered Amaryllis has only 6 petals. Doubles have usually multiples of the petal number (for Amaryllis, multiples of 6). Below is a double (maybe a Dancing Queen, but I'm not sure, it is one of my older rescues) that flowered this spring (natural flowering cycle), and the inner petals are very well developed, as compared to the ones from these forced bulbs.

I've been growing Amaryllis for 5 years, each year gathering more and this is the first bulb to die on me. I've had them rescued from HD after the holiday season, year after year, in a pathetic state and made them flower for me the coming seasons, in their natural pace... I've never grown any plant in a pot without drainage, and none of my plants are placed in planters, no matter how pretty they may be. The unglazed pots tend to breathe better, so the danger of overwatering is almost non-existent, they are my favorite for bulbs of all kinds. Plus, for most of my plants that may be endangered by underwatering, I don't keep a saucer under, so there is never water standing... it's only the very thirsty (like Hibiscus) ones that have the "privilege" of a saucer.

My only other thought for why I lost that bulb is maybe there was a twig or something in the potting soil that damaged the bulb? I'll never know, but luckily I have another Picotee and I'm waiting to see it grow and flower.

Goofy, do you mean that the amaryllis are either single, or double? Like you can't get either, or, in Pasadena? That's interesting. Amaryllis.com has some doubles that there is absolutely no question about it. They definitly are doubles. They have a gorgeous White Peacock that is a double.

BTW, I did not mean to insult you. When you posted your different issues with your bulbs it sounded like you were puzzled as to the reason and I was just offering some suggestions.

Jeanette

Spring would be fine. Much too cold here for Hippie bulbs to travel.

Jeanette, don't worry, I don't feel insulted; most of the times I am quite jolly and upset-proof, and by no means was my post above intended to bite, I just wanted to defend myself, I truly believe that if I did something wrong, it's not the watering.

And it's really a puzzle, as it's the only Amaryllis that I ever lost. In fact, they are the most successful of all the plants I've grown by myself. While living in Miami, all the tropic-style rains would fall on them (mine were still in pots, but I've seen them growing in gardens, in the ground as well), and skipping the saucer was enough to prevent them from rotting. I have a few Red Lions in the garage that I didn't water for almost 3 weeks, and they are still alive and plump-y green, so underwatering shouldn't be an issue either. And that bulb flowering in the bag, with no water at all just goes along the same line...

For sure there are single and double amaryllis, but I doubt two Amaryllis, a single and a double, share the same name. Since most pics show Pasadena as double, I would believe the single is misnamed, but it must be pretty none-the-less. I still have to see an Amaryllis that I don't like! I saw the White Peacock on the Marketplace too, shame I have to limit my purchases each month... but I love my DH so I missed the chance of getting a rich one.

The time one stays in flower may depend on many variables: the cultivar (parentage must influence this a lot), the temps they grow in (lower temps prolong both the time until flowering and the flower duration, but of course there's a limit on how low can one go until they just go dormant) and even the humidity, to mention the ones that I noticed.

Langbr, Dmail me when your weather warms up a bit (you're in the colder zone) and until then, I'll try to fatten it a bit. I'll try to remember as well, but at least these days my brain is kinda scattered...

Anybody else up for seeds? I can still send some for fun, to at least 2 more people (have no idea what will come up or the germination rate, and from Robin's post it seems I won't have time to first test germination and then send).

Goofy, I would love to try some seeds. And, please tell me how you 'fatten' them up a bit??? Sounds intriguing. Thanks,

Jeanette

Good morning everyone. I'm still fighting whatever this "bug" is! Came in to work this morning just so I can get a drs appt when they open up. I've fought it long enough, time for drugs!!
I have a couple of Picotee that look like they will be opening up in another day or 2. Will let everyone know if they are really Picotee! :-) So far, I've only had Red Peacock and they mystery single I posted above that was labeled Red Peacock, bloom. Can't wait to see Picotee

Is it OK to peel the brown dried skin off of the bulbs? It is so ugly.

Jnette, D-mail me please...
When I say fatten, I just mean: giving them a bit more time in the ground might provide the chance to grow more until I send it. I planted the bulbs in fresh potting soil, and I added some bone meal to the top inch or so (mixed in the potting soil), it is said to be a good food for bulbs. I don't have too much experience with baby-bulbs, only one of my old ones "had babies", two were smaller, one was fatter. I Moved them into fresh soil in a pot for them only, and only the fatter one seems to be going so far. So, to me, it's giving it a better chance to take off. Plus the weather... spring will be better.

Cat, wishes for speedy recovery! Thanks again, all these beautiful flowers, I owe them all to you!

Birdie, I don't think it hurts, but I don't do much of what nature wouldn't do, so I don't bother. My eyes are captured by the flowers...

Cathy, my SO had that terrible stuff and finally went to the dr. who wanted him to go to the hospital. $500. later for meds he finally got better and then I started down with it. I went right in and got anti-biotics & flu shot and that stopped it right then. I was not going to go thru what he did. Good luck.

Jeanette

I ended up having to toss my Moonlight bulb. About the bottom 1/3 of it was rotting. I tried not to water it too much, but may have. Picotee is blooming now. It is only 13" tall and has just 3 blooms. I like the thin red edge on them.

This message was edited Dec 16, 2008 12:09 PM

the first bloom on Red Peacock lasted over a week. There are 2 more about to open and then 2 small buds that look like they will open maybe a week later. I measured it and it is 26" tall. Here you can see it next to the short Picotee. Sorry about the messy desk. I have them at work.

susan

Wow, that's a fat stalk on that Red Peacock, including the yellow one. LOL

Susan, are those 4" pots they are in? I wonder if they are pot bound? Yes, the red rims on the white petals are very nice.

Jeanette

Thanks. Whatever it is, it's nasty! Mine went into bronchitis and a sinus infection. Popping pills right and left now! LOL
I don't normally go to the drs until I absolutely HAVE to. Probably dumb, but most things I can fight off.

Love that Picotee!

I wish I had gotten one now.

The inner pots are 4" ones with drainage holes, and then I sat them in larger 5.25" pots that don't have any drainage, but I empty all the water out of the cover pot when I water. They were just planted this year, so I don't think they are pot bound. Moonlight looked like it had never grown any new roots when I dug it up.

I have a Pink Diamond from Walmart that I think will be my next to bloom. Hope it's what it's suppose to be.

Susan

Susan if it's what it's supposed to be you'll love it! Mins is very a pretty pink with a noticable white star in the middle.

I'm wondering for next year, (if we can still do coops) if we can arrange one with Bleek?? I'm happy with the ones I got, but there WERE a few mislabeled from what I'm hearing. I ordered a couple of bulbs from Bleek after the coop, and they were big nice bulbs. Wonder what kind of price break he would give us??!! I know it's early, but gotta plan ahead! :-)

I agree, plan ahead.
Aphrodite will be the next one for me to bloom. Pasadena is spent, but it sending up another stalk. Papillo is finally sending up a stalk after sending up 4 leaves. Stargazer is peeking through with a stalk, nothing but leaves so far on Minerva, Red Lion and Apple blossom. I may not have waited long enough on them before I repotted. I have Lime x ? seedlings that are a year old. Hopefully next year on them, but not holding my breath.

Got this bulb elsewhere, but wanted to share it. This one is Lemon Star and it opened today. It's next to my window and we got down to 0° yesterday and I think the lower petals were damaged from the cold off the window. It has a few brownish spots on the lowest petal. This one has a shimmery dust all over it that you can't see in the photo.

This message was edited Dec 16, 2008 3:11 PM

That is so beautiful.

Love it!!

Mmmmm, I cannot wait for my Picotee to bloom! Love the Lemon.

Looky, looky! This is today: Orange Sovereign bathing in the sun

OS, the second of the 4 total buds on the stalk

While OS is a bit over 1 ft tall, the Papillio is about half. The bloom is quite low, close to the ground. This will be my next post, right now I'm almost there!

Wow Goofy, that is beautiful. Very bright.

Jeanette