Amaryllis

My reliable, faithful, thrives-on-neglect wild Amaryllis is flowering again - now, in the winter, is exactly when I need it the most. I'm one of those people who regularly get SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder. Sun, flowers, garden catalogs, green plants get me through the next few weeks coming up.

I never know when my plants will flower. They always surprise me. But they always do flower.

I also find the wild ones much easier to care for and to bring back into bloom each year. They multiply easily too, producing offshoot bulbs that can be re-potted. If only I could find new homes for those off-shoots.

This is a species Amaryllis, which simply means it is a kind of Amaryllis that is found growing in the wild as opposed to those Amaryllis that have been bred for the trade. I like the hybrids but there's something very nice about the kinds found in nature, don't you agree? The species flowers don't last as long but they are more exotic, in my opinion.

If you click on the photos, you'll get a better view. I love the red, white, green striped flowers, They resemble butterflies - which happens to be their species name, I believe - Amaryllis papilio.