The Butterfly Amaryllis

Every year I try to buy at least one new amaryllis bulb. What seems like a needless expense in the fall when I am still coming down from a bright and plentiful growing season, is almost essential by the time the long grey days of winter kick in. That little boost of colour and life is worth every penny.

I bought this year’s amaryllis, Hippeastrum papillio aka Butterfly amaryllis back in late September while I was at a garden shop picking up spring flowering bulbs for the garden. I have been longing to acquire this beautiful variety for years, but the price — often over $25 per bulb — put me off. Ever driven by a deal, I threw caution to the wind when I found mine at a $3.00 discount. Hey, it was the last one in the bin!

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Is This Green Enough for You?

I promise this will be my last amaryllis post of the season, if only because I am fresh out of blooming amaryllis to write about. Well, that’s not entirely true. The ‘Nymph’ (or ‘Sydney’ or who knows what anything is anymore since nearly all of my bulbs came misidentified) has a second stalk that will open in the next few days. I promise not to write about it unless it bursts open and spills out a fountain of loose change. Or talks.

Anything is possible at this point.

I know, I know. I’m kidding no one but myself. One day next week the light will hit the new bloom just so and within hours there will be a post. Apologies in advance.

Some of you complained that ‘Green Dragon’ wasn’t really green, it was more or less white with some hints of green in it. I disagree, it was green enough for me, but whatever… Let’s not fight about it. (p.s. You’re wrong.) Instead, I present to you ‘Evergreen’ a green flower that I think we can all safely agree is green.

All of us, that is, except Davin. I suspect he will read this post and try to argue that it is yellow.

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‘Green Dragon’ Amaryllis

I apologize for temporarily turning this site into You Grow Girl: The Amaryllis Story, but I promise you I have more posts on other topics on the go. Until then, as promised, here are a few photos of the ‘Green Dragon’ amaryllis.

And here are the flowers with red streaks down the centre of each petal. As previously mentioned, I don’t believe this is a bulb mix-up, but rather some kind of variation that occurred. I quite like it!

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The Not ‘Green Dragon’ Amaryllis

Back in November, I wrote about receiving a green amaryllis from a friend (it’s just starting to bloom) and mentioned another variety that I was coveting called ‘Green Dragon.’ Well, I went and bought that one, too. Or rather, I bought three.

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Amaryllis ‘Evergreen’

Earlier this year I contemplated trying some unusual amaryllis (Hippeastrum) varieties including ‘Green Dragon’ , a compact, African amaryllis with bright green flowers with petals that look like fluttering wings.

But then I dropped the ball on that plan. With so many plants to relocate in the new space, I was hesitant to add anymore to the fray. Except that I have anyway. Within the last month I’ve added a good 15 new plants to my collection, including an amaryllis bulb I bought on impulse at the grocery store. I have almost no willpower anymore.

Yesterday, my friend David gifted me ‘Evergreen’, a new variety with soft, green petals that are thinner and more star-like than ‘Green Dragon’. I’m going to pot it up this afternoon and will post a photo in a month or so when it is blooming.

Now to decide whether or not to get anymore before they stop selling for the year…

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