My mother always had a nice flower garden, but she now lives in a small apartment with barely enough room for an African violet. Happily, there are a few gardening activities that she's been able to hang onto and one of them is growing amaryllis.
Planting amaryllis bulbs is a bite-size gardening project that doesn't require an outdoor work space. The plants also don't require a lot of light, so even a small window is adequate. My mom loves showing off the flowers to friends and caregivers, so this year I helped her kick it up a notch with some double amaryllis. Here are a few of the reasons I'm such a fan.
Amaryllis Pink Nymph
More Petals = A Softer Look
Consider the difference between a daisy and a double peony. Daisies are cheery and always a delight. But there's something about a peony's lush flowers and their soft, suede-like petals that make us swoon. Double amaryllis have a similar appeal. Like standard varieties, the doubles have big flowers. But extra petals give them an air of glamour and sophistication.
Each variety of double amaryllis also has a slightly different combination of extra petals. It's worth coming in close to fully appreciate them. And as with all amaryllis, the double varieties are long-lasting cut flowers that look gorgeous in a vase on their own or mixed with foliage and other flowers. You can learn more about using amaryllis as cut flowers HERE.
Amaryllis White Nymph
Variations on a Theme
In the wild, double flowers are rare and usually the result of a natural mutation. When developing new plants, breeders select for or even encourage such mutations. Often, the extra petals in a double flower are modified stamens. This is true for double amaryllis. If you look closely at the photo above, you can see a remnant of a stamen fused to the outer edge of one of the petals.
There's a lot of variation in the flower form of double amaryllis. The inner petals of varieties such as Aphrodite and Dancing Queen tend to be narrow and are often slightly twisted. On other varieties, the inner petals are smaller but more similar in shape to the outer petals (see Nymph below).
Something Old and Something New
When it came time to place the order for my mom's amaryllis, she requested Apple Blossom, a classic winter-bloomer and the double variety Ice Queen. I was surprised she chose Apple Blossom, but she had grown it before and remembered how much she had liked it.
Amaryllis Apple Blossom
I know how that is. Seeing a favorite plant come into bloom is sort of like revisiting a favorite painting or a favorite city. And she's not alone in her affection for Apple Blossom. It's been capturing hearts for more than sixty years. First introduced in 1954, Apple Blossom holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Amaryllis Ice Queen Ice Queen is a pure white, double amaryllis. The petals are narrower than most other varieties and are lightly ruffled. I love the frilly and slightly disheveled look and decided to order this variety myself as well.
Early-blooming amaryllis are grown for us in Peru and typically bloom toward the end of the year -- at least a month or two before the ones from Holland. It's easy to imagine how pretty these elegant white flowers will look among the deep greens, silvers and golds of the holiday season.
If double amaryllis are new to you, please give them a try! We ship amaryllis bulbs right through December, as long as supplies last. You can shop our complete selection HERE. All early-blooming varieties are available HERE.
