Sunday, January 6, 2008

Green Thumb Sunday - Amaryllis 'Lemon Lime'


Hippeastrum 'Lemon Lime'

The first Amaryllis bloom of the season opened for me right before Christmas. It was the 'Lemon Lime' bulb I'd bought in November. Shortly after potting it up, it put out two flower stalks. Yesterday I cut the first one off because it was done blooming, just as the second one is preparing to open. 'Lemon Lime' is considered a dwarf amaryllis, typically growing to a height of 16-20 inches. Bloom size measures approximately 4-5 inches across.

'La Paz', a cybister amaryllis, is the only other one I've got potted up right now and it's just beginning to open. This bulb is one of the very first amaryllis I ever grew, having purchased it in the fall of 2005.

During the summer, my bulbs are put into the ground in full sun so they can beef up for blooming the following winter. I lift them in late September, before first frost, and they're then stored in the basement until I pot them up again.




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12 comments:

verobirdie said...

Lovely amaryllis! I like its color.

Muum said...

I especially love your first picture of your Amaryllis. I have one just poking up a leaf. Love the woodpecker photo, too. We have a flicker zooming around our yard, but he is too fast for me to get a photo, yet. Happy GTS!

Unknown said...

I have a new amaryllis in bloom too, and must get a photo of it up before they're all starting to fade; Lemon Lime is a lovely thing; I have one, although it's still resting in the basement; now that Christmas is over, it's time to bring the resting bulbs up and get them going again.

Kylee Baumle said...

Vero ~ It's not my favorite amaryllis, but it's a nice change of pace from the vibrantly colored ones.

Muum ~ Amaryllis season is just starting here. They'll definitely help me get through the bleak winter!

Jodi ~ I know what you mean, Jodi. I've got a couple dozen bulbs resting in the basement right now. I generally bring them up a few at a time so I can spread out the blooming until spring.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

This lemon lime looks lovely. Yummm... I will have to invest in some of these next year. I love amaryllis. I don't know why I don't try to have one blooming during these dreary days. I will have to enjoy them via all the lovely photos I see.

Kylee Baumle said...

Lisa ~ It's not too late to do one this year! In fact, just put your coat on and go to your nearest Walmart and pick one up. They might even be on sale by now. I would open the box and inspect the bulb before you buy it though. Sometimes they're blooming right in the box. Grrrr... Or check some of the online nurseries that offer them. Last year I bought some in January.

Randy said...

I've just started getting interested in amaryllis. I got a Butterfly amaryllis a couple of weeks ago. I haven't planted it yet. I don't dig mine up, they stay in the ground year round. It's so hard for me to get motivated to do anything outside right now. Everything is so ugly and gray. :-(

Jessica said...

Beautiful!! They are such gorgeous flowers that really make a statement! I am debating whether to put mine in the ground.....Do you leave them in their pots until you put them out? Right now, I just have mine hanging out in their old pots:)

DianeSchuller.com said...

what an adorable colour! I sure wish some of you who have such great success with indoor plants/bulbs lived closer to me. I'd give you all my 'spent' amaryllis bulbs. I can never get them to rebloom. In fact I have two bulbs that will likely be joining the pointsettia that has already gone into the composter. Seeing your gorgeous lime delight is a bright spot in a dull northern winter!

Diane Sand to Glass
Dogs Naturally

joey said...

Beautiful photos, Kylee ... Stunning 'Lemon Lime' was worth the effort. (I hesitate sharing what I do with my bulbs after blooming!)

We had a record breaking temp 63-degrees yesterday also ... almost heaven until today, heavy rain, and blustery winds forcasting the cold front well on its way!

Kylee Baumle said...

Randy and Jamie ~ My 'Papilio' is one of the first amaryllis I ever bought and is still one of my very favorites. I'm so jealous that you can grow them in the ground all year 'round!

Jessica ~ Yes, they stay in their pots until it's warm enough to plant them in the ground. Some keep their healthy foliage and some turn yellow, soft and die off. Once they're done blooming, I cut back the watering to a minimum and they go down to the basement greenhouse (because they're just plain ugly unless they've got green foliage). I know some people leave them in their pots even when they put them in the ground, but I don't. When they get dug up in the fall, you wouldn't believe the root system on these things! And many of them sprout 'babies.' :-)

Diane ~ Well, if you want to get rid of them to a good home, I could pay the shipping for them to come to Ohio! ;-)

Joey ~ Do I need to make the same offer to you, Joey? ;-) I know a lot of people just chuck them, but I can't bear to do it and I've had good success keeping them.

kate said...

I love the lemon lime - it is beautiful!

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