Egypt4u

Oh was it supposed to be an Amaryllis

Er yes, the challenge is called 'The Amaryllis Challenge' but you can still take pictures and post them for us to look at

So my OFFICIAL Entry is the "RED LION" Amaryllis. It was just a chopped off top when I planted it last week but already I see TWO, count 'em, TWO tops appearing.

Full bulb


Close up of the top where the buds are starting to appear.


BUT - now that Kiya has entered her bulbs in fancy dishes I'm saying that my bulb is in a green plastic pot but I'm putting that into a clear crystal seasonally appropriate dish

Fancy pots don't count

Hah! just noticed the actual name of thread

Ok next time I'm up at the super market I'll check if there is any Amaryllis bulbs if not I wont be going out of town just for bulbs

This time of year all the stores bring in Paperwhites and Amaryllis bulbs. I've tried Paperwhites (look like daffodils) in the past but for me they're tended to bolt, get super high and fall over. AND trying to grow them in a tall sided glass container will encourage rot another bright idea dashed to the ground

Amaryllis get tall but they're also pretty thick stalked and if you're lucky you'll two stalked which equals 7 or 8 flowers.

This year our stores brought in red, pink and variegated pink & white Amaryllis.

They had the pink & white Amaryllis, but they didn't look as colourful so I chose the Orange one.

Stopped at a grocery store to grab some fruit on my drive down to the USA AND whilst cruising the fruit section I passed a stack of amaryllis flower boxes and I saw some WHITE amaryllis bulbs! I don't believe I've ever seen white ones before (not sure I'd buy them for Christmas as white seems a rather blah colour for this time of year)

Mmm, not so sure a white one would look as good
Here is the progress of mine, it now has 4 leaves and turning a bit more green

WOW!! Yours has grown that much in a WEEK? OMG - Mine has barely cracked the surface of the bulb and is "maybe" another 1/8th of an inch higher after a week. NO signs of leaves at all and nothing is turning green yet.

And - now another question - USUALLY my Amaryllis always blooms first and then leaves come. Is having your leaves grow first usual? or more different?

Normal here would be the leaves and the main stem at the same time (or stem close after leaves) then flowering

Hmmm - different BUT the result of huge beautiful vibrant flowers is worth it!

How warm are you keeping your amaryllis H? My house is pretty much 68F (19C) all day and can go down to 64F (17C) at night.

Depending on whether I am in or out, I would say between 20 & 22 C, but it does sit in a Bay Window with a radiator beneath it and gets plenty of light.

Hmmm - mine gets plenty of daylight however all the heat comes up from the furnace as blown air all around the exterior walls of the house. It is on the dining room table in the middle of the room. Mine is growing lots slower than yours.

Top Tip: Move it from the middle of the room

I think you're right. Will get it moved soon as I get back home

I was thinking of putting in on a small table by the back window as that table is also near a register but I didn't........

"a register" ????

Oh - a "register" that it the name of the vent hole in the floor where the hot air comes out from the furnace. They're usually covered with some sort of decorative piece that can be opened or closed to let the air flow through or not. They're rectangle shape (usually about 4" wide by 12" or 14" long)

This is a URL from ebay that shows a picture of what I have in the floor

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Naiture-Cast-Ir ... 1OXGMEA90Q

Ah I understand what you mean now, we would be a bit more basic and just call it a 'vent' or 'grill'

Amaryllis, saw one at the supermarket today, £7, resisted the temptation to join in and say I grew it from scratch.