Quote:
Originally Posted by pmurphy
As an experiment, last summer I planted amaryllis in my covered garden - I got them for Christmas and am not really into this type of plant (until now). I figured the bulbs would live or die after the summer so it would be no big deal if they did not survive.
FYI, my covered garden is 16' x 8' x 9'; it keeps things dry but inside temp is the same as the other side temp.
We had a nasty winter (for us) with a lot of wet snow and some minus temperatures so image my surprise when I noticed the bulbs growing this spring. Then I noticed a bud forming on one.
This is the result.......
Proof that amaryllis are hardy in zone 8 if kept dry. |
I have a "Slumdog Millionaire" type story about how I discovered amaryllis. You know how people sometimes ask people of my age, "What were you doing when you first heard that John F. Kennedy was assassinated?"? At age 17, I must have been in high school but I have absolutely no memory of hearing about the assassination. But, the next day, on Saturday, November 23, 1963, I was with my friend shopping in downtown Chicago when I came upon the store front of Vaughan's Seed and Bulb. Co. which had a big display of potted blooming amaryllis. I also remember my friend telling me that his father cried about the assassination. Still, it was business as usual downtown.