February Amaryllis

This past weekend we flirted with 50s in February. Now, we wait and see if we get 10 inches of snow, nothing, or some weird in between mix. Probably the latter.

Although amaryllis (Hippeastrum sp.) has a long tradition as a Christmas plant, I like them to bloom in late winter. By now, I need flowers to brighten these grey days. This is Showmaster who just started to open. Susan is also blooming and starting to fade a bit. These are so easy to grow and once the flowers fade you can decide to keep or pitch. I tend to keep them as a houseplant for a few years before being seduced by new varieties.

They are also wonderful gifts for the hard-to-buy-for crowd like parents and grandparents who have plenty of stuff. In our case, the parents are attempting to send us home with bits and bobs from closets and attics as they attempt to de-clutter. I’ll take that amaryllis much faster than the tea towels, thanks.