I'm probably late to the party (I'm late for a lot of things, being The Queen of Procrastination, you know), but I made a discovery today that has me wondering if it's too good to be true.
Hardy amaryllis. As in Hippeastrum. Yeah, like the 'Red Lion' and 'Apple Blossom' kind. Imagine living in zone 5 and growing them in your garden year round. No lifting in the fall and storing in the basement. Unless you really want to, and you can do that, too. 
I first saw them on Breck's website as one of their spring offerings. Nothing against Breck's really, but as they are known to rename things, I had to check it out and see if it really was what I thought it might be. And yes, it would appear so.
Hybridized by Hadeco® in South Africa, the Sonatinis are miniature amaryllis that typically produce two flower stems per bulb with three to four flowers sized 2.3-4 inches in diameter on each stem. They're hardy to zone 5 and are to be planted 6-8 inches deep out in the garden. Mulch well for winter.
I'm going to order some from Breck's. They're $39.99 for five bulbs which seems like a lot, but they also have a $25 off a $50 purchase* right now, so I'll combine it with something else and give these a try. Breck's has a lifetime guarantee (replacement or refund), so I can't hardly go wrong.
Has anyone grown these in a zone 5 garden and had them go through winter yet?
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Photo from Breck's
*Coupon code: 716527. Expires 3-21-08.
"Bejeweled"
3 comments:
I haven't tried these but they look intresting. I will wait to see how they do in your garden.
Good luck with growing them in your garden Kylee. I look forward to seeing them on your blog next summer!
I got them because they look interesting. The planting sheet accompanying them said they are hardy to 23f and if lower to take indoors. Even in zone 7 we have a few days around 18f-25f every winter so I put mine in a window box planter to sit in the basement every winter.
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