Four of my amaryllis pots are from seeds I grew from my own flowers, cross-pollinated via Q-Tip. I ran this first experiment five years ago. The baby plants, which I understand can take up to seven years to flower, are looking terrific but have yet to bloom. I thought this year would be the year. Yet I'm not complaining. One day they will flower, and I will get to see what colors I've cooked up. It will be worth the wait.
Two of my amaryllis pots are from pups sprouted by the moms. I thought they might bloom this year, too, but not so far. All three of my papillon bulbs have sprung pups, and one split into two before becoming a mom. Only one of the papillons bloomed so far this year, and that's rather disappointing, but I'm hoping one day they will all rage once again.
My favorite amaryllis is my first amaryllis, the white picotee. I cross-pollinated it the first and second years I had it, hoping to create new varieties. Amaryllis seeds are not true to the parent, so my imagination was running wild with possibilities. However, I learned (and forgot) the second year that allowing the flowers to go to seed expends all the bulb's energy, causing it not to bloom prolifically the next year. I vowed not to put my white picotee through that again because two blooms each year is not enough for me. I want more!
Because I'm home full time, I forgot once again that I shouldn't pollinate my amaryllises if I want them to bloom generously next year. I got three plants pregnant. Then I remembered. I clipped the top-heavy flowers and put them in vases to spare the bulbs the stress of making seeds. Then something amazing happened. The seed pods continued to grow!!! In the vases!
I don't know if the seeds will be viable. (None of my first iris seeds from 2019 produced new plants.) I don't even know if the amaryllis seeds will continue forming. But for right now, I'm thrilled at the possibility of becoming sort of a surrogate parent again - via my hand-crafted vases! I will plant every seed with a bump, and whatever comes up, I'm going to cherish, even if the baby takes (or babies take) years to mature. Making something beautiful come from this whale of a year will be just about the best legacy I can imagine!
amazong, I like your close up of the flowers, so pretty.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Faith! I've had so much fun with the big camera again. I let it collect dust for far too long!
DeleteSnickering at the thought of getting plants pregnant. :)
ReplyDeleteLovely shots as always! Those tiny red dots on the white petal fascinate me.
Thank you, Sue! I buried the tadpoles (amaryllis seeds) today, so we shall soon see how many of them turn into frogs... Ha ha! And the picotee amaryllis is my favorite! I almost bought another one at Christmas because I can never grow weary of that beauty!
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