Is This the Way to Amaryllis?
Hello!
It’s properly winter again. The valley fills with out-of-state vehicles, skis and snowboards stacked high, snowflakes in the air. It’s great to feel that energy—and then to head home, stoke the coals, and stay out of the way.
With at least ten more days of snow and cold forecast, it’s tempting to hunker down. I dare not let what warmth there is escape my little greenhouse, so instead I retreat to the basement—my winter grow zone. Like so many mountain perennials, my growing happens below ground this time of year.
We all need something beautiful in the depths of winter. That’s why I’m forcing amaryllis bulbs. Botanical name: Hippeastrum (named, apparently, because a botanist somewhere thought the blooms resembled a horse’s ear). Also known as: Knight’s Star Lily.
These flowers are nothing if not dramatic—top-heavy blooms in deep red, pink, white, and blended shades, rising on thick stems from massive bulbs. They don’t need much soil, but they do have temperature and light preferences. I’m finessing those needs with heat mats, grow lights, and kettle-warmed water. Fingers crossed.
Amaryllis is a Greek name meaning “to sparkle,” and according to some sources, they also symbolize pride, strength, and determination—supposedly because they stand tall above all other winter blooms. I’ll say this: they’ve certainly sparked my determination. Once they’re ready, I’ll be sure to let you know how to buy them.
When I was in college, one of my housemates was a truly terrible punster. It was nearly impossible to get through a conversation without some really silly wordplay. Groan, eye rolls. The thing was, he was a very smart guy, and often the puns were, annoyingly, very funny.
Fast-forward to a West Virginia winter—let’s face it, we all go a bit nuts—and I’m realizing his affliction isn’t just a memory. It’s more like a latent infection, rearing its weird, wacky, horse-eared head as I tend the emerging shoots. Sha-la-la-lalalala-la. Make of that what you will—winters are long here.
So… is this the way to amaryllis? I certainly hope so.
Let there be flowers!
Lizz