The hippeastrum report
Mar. 17th, 2010 07:35 am'Exotica' is blooming beautifully, and the show has so far lasted for more than a week (it started to open March 9). Its flower stalk is shorter, about 18", and robust enough that it has not needed staking. It's beaming in that early morning golden sun and I'm leaving it in the window to enjoy the view for a few minutes before I remove it from the light. The second flower stalk is about 6" high now. I'm guessing it will kick into bloom about the time the first one give up.
The 'gervase' flower encasement (whatever you call it) is starting to show some separation so I expect there will be blooming in the next day or so. Its stalk is a little taller, maybe 20", but like its exotic cousin it also needs no staking. Its second stalk is further along than the 'exotica" so both may bloom together.
There may be something to buying named varieties instead of no-names from the supermarket. On the other hand, the $1 rescue hippeastrum from the Pathmark has been blooming reliably on its tall spindly flower stalk ever since I brought it home. I believe it will open today. We aren't spending much time in the sitting room now, so I'll probably bring it upstairs to enjoy the show. Three different hippeastrums all in bloom at the same time, oh my. Meanwhile the Trader Joe plant that started all this madness has also put up a rather puny stalk. Clearly it needs something -- repotting, probably, as it has pushed itself about 2/3 of the way out of the pot and is also being crowded by two sizeable offsets.
Two of the adolescents have stalks. All in all, their foliage looks more robust this year, so even if I don't get a good flower show this year it may improve next year.
The yearlings are crowding out their starter tray and are stridently demanding attention.
Must.resist.temptation do do any pollination this year!
( hippeastrum pictures from the past and present )
The 'gervase' flower encasement (whatever you call it) is starting to show some separation so I expect there will be blooming in the next day or so. Its stalk is a little taller, maybe 20", but like its exotic cousin it also needs no staking. Its second stalk is further along than the 'exotica" so both may bloom together.
There may be something to buying named varieties instead of no-names from the supermarket. On the other hand, the $1 rescue hippeastrum from the Pathmark has been blooming reliably on its tall spindly flower stalk ever since I brought it home. I believe it will open today. We aren't spending much time in the sitting room now, so I'll probably bring it upstairs to enjoy the show. Three different hippeastrums all in bloom at the same time, oh my. Meanwhile the Trader Joe plant that started all this madness has also put up a rather puny stalk. Clearly it needs something -- repotting, probably, as it has pushed itself about 2/3 of the way out of the pot and is also being crowded by two sizeable offsets.
Two of the adolescents have stalks. All in all, their foliage looks more robust this year, so even if I don't get a good flower show this year it may improve next year.
The yearlings are crowding out their starter tray and are stridently demanding attention.
Must.resist.temptation do do any pollination this year!
( hippeastrum pictures from the past and present )