The Meaty Amaryllis

I've been growing these amaryllis bulbs in my house.

a red one

a reddish-orange one

I have always wanted to grow them, but the season for buying them at the store passes,
and then it's Spring, and then I am waiting for "next year".

Well, this year I got three bulbs.
Lucky Strike (red), Desire (reddish-orange), and about a week later,
Orange Sovereign (orange, of course).
I planted them all on the same day, December 28th, 2011.

Desire and Lucky were regular bulbs, eager to grow, good root systems in place, ready to be potted up. The box contains the plant pot, some soil and the bulb. You put the soil in the pot, add the bulb in the center, root-side down (yes some folks would not know this), and then you water it well and give it a warm place to settle into. It's ok if their shoulders are above the soil line.

red & reddish-orange amaryllis bulbs freshly planted on Dec 28, 2011

same bulbs, today, January 13th, 2012

Orange Sovereign was rescued from the grocery store, on sale, last chance. Look how big it grew in the box, without soil or water or light. What a tough plant.

Orange Sovereign amaryllis freshly planted and just out of the box


Within a week, my orange amaryllis was showing its true colours.
What caught me off guard is the "meaty" look of his flower bud. I can't seem to get my eyes off of it, and it's downright unnerving in the later winter afternoon sun.

Orange Sovereign, January 7th, 2011: fleshiness galore.

"All the better to eat you with my dear!"
(nom... nom... nom..).
just look at this thing..I swear I see teeth

O Little Shop of Horrors!!

My guess is the author of that story may have had this Orange Sovereign amaryllis sitting on his desk as inspiration for that meat-eating tale.

yes, I see a resemblance.

all three January 7th, 2012, in the late afternoon winter sun

all three this morning, January 13th, 2012