Amaryllis and Cyclamen...

[NYCorchidman]

and poinsettia are in season as Christmas is getting near, and I just love these plants!

I bought so many amaryllis last season, probably all the colors and forms available out there! then they get so large with their leaves I sadly dumped them all except for three rather uncommon hybrids after flowers were spent. They are not exactly cheap for how short the flowers last, but very cheap for the long term because they are so easy to grow and flower again each year basically forever! My aunt used to have amaryllis for decades!

Starting this year, I've decided to buy fresh cut amaryllis, they cost about the same as potted ones, last even shorter but I don't feel as bad when I throw them away.

I don't have much luck with reblooming cyclamen and poinsettia, but what a great thing it is that they are always available this time of the year and quite inexpensive! (and last for all season long!) It's amazing how different and unique poinsettia hybrids are available now from tea cup size to regular large size.

I haven't taken pictures of poinsettis but I'm sharing my newst amaryllis Red Knight and some mini cyclamen.

Mini cyclamens are slightly scented. not exacly floral scent but it does have its charm I guess.

[WhiteRabbit]

Nice! A few years ago someone gave me some tiny amaryllis seedlings - she had cross-pollinated several of hers fot the heck of it - I believe they should be mature enough to bloom now; have to wait and see ...

I'm wanting to have a try at blooming a poinsettia ...

[NYCorchidman]

That sounds very exciting! I heard it can take up to 7 years from seed to flower! Well, I hope you get some wonderful flowers for all the time you waited.

Poinsettia...I tried to rebloom a mini red one last year. It grew so well during the summer and I loved the leaves even when green.
Then I totally failed at keeping them dark for so many hours every single day for two months or longer requirement. It wasn't easy to keep up with it.

so I just buy new ones each year. an easy way out. hehe
Would definitely be interesting to see those green leaves turning red or white!

[cbuchman]

I've got a collection of about 8 Amaryllis that I have re-bloomed for several years. Most are gifts of one that someone was going to throw away. I have one with a couple of bulb-lets that should bloom this year. As for poinsettias.... I have up trying to re-bloom them. it's just too much trouble and there are no expensive.

Almost ever year I also force some paperwhite Narcissus just for the smell. I try different kinds just for the fun of it. I have a big pot of 10 bulbs about to blooms now. They last about 3-4 weeks and then I throw them out.

Now that you've reminded me. Time to retrieve my amaryllis from their cold spell in the garage, get them repotted/refreshed, and onto the seedling mat for blooming.

PS - a gift basket Cyclamen from last year is re-blooming. I'm not sure why, but I'll take it.

[NYCorchidman]

I would love to have lots of amaryllis if I had space. They are so wonderful in bloom, but take up too much space and leaves are all over the window space. so I have four at the moment, but one will have to go. I have two of the same kind and one can go. lol

So you "force" your amaryllis to bloom around Christmas?
I don't have a cool enoug room, so I just grow them evergreen all year around and they bloom in the spring.

Paperwhites last barely 10days for me. I guess it's too warm in my apartment.

Cyclamen will rebloom every year for a while, but each time the quality will be much less and less.
So I just toss them.
I noticed these mini cyclamen have quite strong scent that bigger ones do not.

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by cbuchman

I've got a collection of about 8 Amaryllis that I have re-bloomed for several years. Most are gifts of one that someone was going to throw away. I have one with a couple of bulb-lets that should bloom this year. As for poinsettias.... I have up trying to re-bloom them. it's just too much trouble and there are no expensive.

Almost ever year I also force some paperwhite Narcissus just for the smell. I try different kinds just for the fun of it. I have a big pot of 10 bulbs about to blooms now. They last about 3-4 weeks and then I throw them out.

Now that you've reminded me. Time to retrieve my amaryllis from their cold spell in the garage, get them repotted/refreshed, and onto the seedling mat for blooming.

PS - a gift basket Cyclamen from last year is re-blooming. I'm not sure why, but I'll take it.

Do you have any red amaryllis?
I am in the search for really nice dark red, but so many onine pictures are inaccurate. frustrating.
I'm thinking of buying a few and pick the one or two I like the most.
I buy from whiteflower farm (based in Connecticut). They charge a lot, but the quality is just amazing!!!

[cbuchman]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

Do you have any red amaryllis?
I am in the search for really nice dark red, but so many onine pictures are inaccurate. frustrating.
I'm thinking of buying a few and pick the one or two I like the most.
I buy from White Flower farm (based in Connecticut). They charge a lot, but the quality is just amazing!!!

I do have a red one. It is a deep "Christmas" red. I used to buy from WFF, but have found that they are expensive and sometimes not of the quality they should be. Another source, I have used is Flowerbulbs, Large Flower Bulbs, Seasonal Flower Bulbs, Perennials, Blooming Bulbs Quality is good and price more reasonable.

I just got a big double red/dark pink from my local nursery (impulse purchase, I'm afraid). I have success with some forcing and a couple just bloom on their own schedule no matter what I do, usually in June. I bring them inside in early September and let them dry out in the greenhouse. hen in mid0october, I put them in the garage in brown paper bags until all the foliage dies back. I am late this year, but I just got them re-potted and into the greenhouse. Because my greenhouse is cool,. I put them on seedling mats.

I have Amaryllis
Sovereign
Jumbo
Minerva
Fantasy (red/white stripes from WFF)
Summertime (pink from WFF)
Baby Star (red with white star pattern, small flowers, has 4 bulb-lets so far, trying for a large connected set of bulbs)
Papilla Butterfly (also known as the Orchid Amaryllis . soft red/green striping. A bit difficult to grow)

Several of these were just grocery store Kits that I got a gifts. The kits are usually around $10 and if it says it's red is probably is.

[NYCorchidman]

I will not mention the name, but I once ordered quite a few amaryllis bulbs from one online vendor. They had so many varieties with wonderful pictures. and the price were so low. (usually a red flag I think).
Well, every single bulb I got was less than satisfactory. That's the best I can put it. I complained to them and they had some attitude issues as well.
I mostly just tossed the sick looking and small bulbs.

Then I went for wff. a bit pricy but boy, was I happy to see those big healthy bulbs. never seen such large and healthy looking bulbs anywhere! I was so impressed. then I found one vendor at a local farmer's market who was selling quite a few varieties of potted amaryllis with names. only around $20 with all the work already done by the seller. so I bought tons for the season. I had literally amaryllis party last year!

then I couldn't keep them all (no space) so I had to say bye bye to almost all of them but three.

I still have Aphrodite (from wff) that produce two flower stalks around April. I have two Showmaster (but I believe they are actually Temptation). These were bred for cut flower market, no wonder these guys send up three or more stalks. and I love the color pattern on these.

I would love to have my amaryllis flower around the end of year, but I just cannot force them. so I just let them grow and flower on their own schedule as well.

I like all your amaryllis except I never heard of Jumbo. I looked up online but online jumbo size bulb ad come up. lol
For some reason I don't like Minerva that much.

I love the color of summertime (almost bought online last week actually) and baby star.
How long have you had baby star? if it readily produce bulblets, then I would love to buy that variety. flowers look so nice and vibrant!

One of my showmaster is making a small bulblet with two leaves. Who knows how long it will take for that one to grow to a full size! lol

I avoid buying bulbs from a grocery stores. Most of them time, they name is not right or you don't get to see and check the health condition of the bulbs.

Oh, and I just bought this red one last week. The red knight, which I also never heard of. It is open now, but looks more like orange red.
still in the quest for true red ones.

Magnum (at least according to the picture, it's true red) on wff is sold out. I will have to try next year.
I am thinking of ordering Lovely Bells and Beauty Bells from easy to grow bulbs company. Yes, they have nice bulbs as well.

One of my all time favorits are Alfresco. Pictures do not do justice! I wish I had kept mine last year.
They are sold out online and the local vendor does not carry them this year. dang~

[gardengirl13]

You're lucky! I heard WFF can send some really poor quality stuff sometimes!

As for a really good Amaryllis look for black knight. I saw one locally and it's so dark red! it's beautiful, but the bulbs were $25 each!! yikes! The local garden center I go to had about 5-6 different bulbs that ranged from $15-25 each! Some of them were so cool I wanted them so bad!

Last year I tried to keep one going but I just gave up. It got so weird looking and sickly. I just buy a couple for the season and toss them. I'd love to try again, and if I ever buy the $25 range bulbs those will be kept if at all possible.

This year we also bought the red knight and I'm not happy with it. It's too orange for me.

As for paperwhites my husband loves them! I buy them every year just for him. I think they smell like pee. ha ha! I can't stand them!

We do the same with the poinsettia. I just don't have the time/space/light requirements and buy new every year.

[cbuchman]

I wrote off WFF when they sent me a rotten bulb for which I had paid a pretty penny. They did send me a replacement of something else, in all fairness. However, it was puny! I've was able to save the rotten one, and it bloomed for the first time 2 years later.

Anyway, I just buy what I like and don't worry so much about the name.

I always have paperwhites at Christmas. It is something my mother always did and, somehow, it is part of the holidays for me. I used to have a new pot started every two weeks so that i could have then continuously for several months. Now I just have one pot right around Christmas.

I'll post pictures as my Amaryllis bloom . Do the same!