Red Explosion
It is now officially winter here in the foothills. We had our first snow, draping the world in a white blanket and knocking he last bits of colorful fall to the ground.In anticipation of the whites, browns, and grays that accompany this season, I purchased a Black Pearl amaryllis bulb in hopes of some bright color for the darkest day of the year. I put it in glass vase I found at a thrift store, and watched daily as the roots began to expand and send out hair-like threads. Finally, the bulb produced some healthy leaves, and then quickly sprouted a promising green bud. It was amazing how quickly it grew from there, reaching a height of approximately two feet. The bud gradually began to pink up around the edges and then suddenly opened into four gorgeous deep red flowers. I now have a beautiful bright spot on my windowsill. The interesting thing about amaryllis bulbs is that they store all their food and energy for producing flowers the season before, and that is why it’s possible to force them to flower like this. They’re kind of like your grandmother who grew up in the great depression and stocks her pantry for the next one… Or is that just a cheesy analogy? We also have some beautiful amaryllis flowering in the store. Come check them out!
Tags: amarylis, bulb, flower bulb, gift
