Well its that time of the year, in the Northern Hemisphere, to finalize ordering bulbs for this winter. According to the Royal Colors website, they are not shipping outside of Europe this year. (Not sure if that means Europe or the EU countries) Sorry to lose them as a supplier. I've already received one bulb, Belladonna, from White Flower Farms. Hope everyone has lots of pretty blooms this year. We would love to see all the lovely photos

Holiday Amaryllis blooms

Your blooms are spectacular. My new ones this year are just now putting up their first top growth. Happy Holidays.

@bshart.
Barbara,
You have a very nice collection of Amaryllis and the perfect climate.

Happy Holiday's to you 🎄. ☃️ Are here, we have a few. You have warmer weather on the Fl coast, and a snowman can be full of lights or a pop up!

There are so many new hybrid's developed the last few years. Several of my orders for new hybrid bulbs were cancelled. Try again next season.
I have a few new ones to add to the database. I'm having trouble finding a ID on a couple . One is a candy stripe butterfly red and white striped . And the other a dark pink fuchia color trumpet shape. I couldn't find them in the database. The blooms do vary depending on so many different growing conditions.I forgot the names..again… on these two. I'll try a plant ID App?

ID is so difficult since photos differ so much in terms of flash, indoor, or outside lighting conditions. The other issue is mislabeled bulbs. Did you actually get the red bulb you ordered or a knowing or unknowing substitution. When I am asked to ID a bulb I always ask when the bulb was purchased, since there are fads in bulbs, what is the big seller that year. It may be "hot" for a few years, then never seen again. Getting the new bulbs is difficult. The nursery will list the bulb knowing that they may not be able to get that cultivar from the grower. I have been trying to get Sofia for three years, last two years were mislabels, tried again this year, ordering from two different sources. We shall see.

Beautiful blooms Bea, what is the one in the 2nd photo, bottom right corner? Thx

Hi Rj, @crawgarden,

The second photo with the dark red and white star stripe is Minerva.

Beautiful!

Hi Rj….. crawgarden

bsharf said:ID is so difficult since photos differ so much in terms of flash, indoor, or outside lighting conditions. The other issue is mislabeled bulbs.

And the third issue with naming a NOID is industry standards! (or lack thereof)

Case in point: Red Pearl VS Black Pearl

Is the right one a Red Pearl and the left one a Black Pearl?
So you try to ID it? Only Red Pearl is listed in the https://www.plantscope.nl/ database, created/breed by N.L. van Geest BV, 's Gravenzande, Netherlands.

some website said:
The massive flowers of Red Pearl are so deep, velvety red that some companies have renamed this variety Black Pearl.

Hmmmm.... No wonder we have NOID's!
My pictured one on the left is a Red Pearl, but sold to me (and labeled as) Black Pearl. The right one is a Red Lion. I love both, BTW.
You can go read threads about people posting pictures supposedly showing the differences between the two "pearls" (Red Pearl and Black Pearl) and choosing which flower form they like best- or trying to ID which Pearl they have...and it's the same plant (according to https://www.johnscheepers.com/...)

Edited on 01/29/24 link no longer valid: Below screenshot from wayback machine archive


The industry isn't too concerned about ID's, as they've chosen to call our Hippeastrum by the name Amaryllis for the last hundred and fifty years or so.
The problem can also be legal or due strictly to marketing, due in part to some varieties unable to be legally protected by Plant Patent or the similar 'PVP." They may be so similar in DNA / parentage to others, or the reproduction methods (I.E sexual) disqualify them for legal protection against propagation by another company.
So companies just basically sell "our version of chanel #5" with their own registered name (as in Red Pearl / Black Pearl), or sell them as a generic color, like this:
(https://www.johnscheepers.com/...)
I once bought a big bunch of hipps online, with a description of only "White Mini Amaryllis" because they were so cheap, but actually emailed the company and asked if they were specifically "Alfresco Sonata?" They said "yes."

It's interesting that on the bottom of Hadeco's "Alfresco Sonata" page, (https://www.hadeco.co.za/summe...) of which I assume they own the trademarked name, they tell you how to propagate Hippeastrums, rather than saying "do not duplicate" our trademarked variety

https://www.hadeco.co.za/summer-bulb/amaryllis-sonata-double-alfresco/ said:Propagation

The plant can be propagated from offsets, basal cutting, twin scaling methods and pollination. The offsets are ready to be planted when they can easily be removed from the bulb with your thumb. Pollination through self-crossing (applying the pollen from a plant to its own stigma) could lead to undesirable traits. Seedlings will flower in their first or second season.

And if you just like the smell of 'CHANEL N°5' but can't do the $138 per 3.4 oz at Maceys... Hey: here's an $18 option for the same size. My nose won't be able to tell the difference!

Did I say my eyes like my Black Pearl just as much as any Red Pearl I've ever seen?

Very Nice display!

bumplbea said:Holiday Amaryllis blooms

Bea...
A great variety of blooms, and very fitting for the memory of your son!

Ken, you hit the nail on the head in terms of some of the problems in the commercial Hippeastrum industry. Once that bulb is planted, dug, forced, and shipped to to a middleman and end seller, it is unidentifiable as to its ID.. There are bulbs being sold under different names and the NOID bulbs which are mislabeled as to being a particular cultivar, when they obviously aren't. The average consumer is buying a red Xmas amaryllis and is happy if they get a red flower, so any label will suffice. The collector wants to get what they paid for. You are talking about renaming cultivars. Giant Amadeus and Big Amadeus are the same. Amadeus and Candy Amadeus are two names for the same cultivar. Flaming Peacock and Exotic peacock are believed to be the same. I could go on and on. People want the latest cultivar, just rename it. Definitely buyer beware. I always check the emaryllis.com website which has pretty good information on the duplicate names of a particular cultivar. And plantscope is definite another go-to website for me.

Hi Barbara @bsharf,

Just add two more found ID from seller.. also one is really iffy.. so posted it in untitled .It was labeled Neon… looked like the one from the sellers catalog but not at all like the Neon already posted in the database for Neon..
As your post explained they can differ so drastically with so many variations .

bright pink -' Neon 'label

light green

orange in color

Bea, I just found and uploaded my photo of Neon from 2011. Your bulb could be a variant of Neon, since Neon was introduced in 2009 according to emaryllis.com. I can't really get a good look at your photo since it is very dark. I remember that the Neon flower was fairly small, with a pale green throat and predominate white center "stripes" on the petals. This is one that was sold under three names: Eon, Neon, and Neon Rose. Another question. Your bloom doesn't look as if it unfolded completely, the edges are turned in. Did it ever unfold more and were all the blooms like this one? It could be a sign of a bulb that isn't totally healthy or it could be one of the cultivars in which the petals don't fold back as they age. I looked through my files. If it is a full-sized bloom, it reminds me of something like Cherries Jubilee, There are so many pink blooms with pink centers on the market, it would be impossible to ID, unless you find a similar photo on the seller's website.

Just curious…
Amaryllis Neon the pic is in the catalog online looks
https://www.dutchbulbs.com/pro...


My entry in Amaryllis genetic. Should it be admitted to 'Neon' ? It was labeled neon.
But the color is darker, it could be the light and not fully open…there were 3-4 blooms on the same stem in pic showing all the blooms. All blooms showing on stem

My entry just bloom.


Entry in database Amarllis 'Neon'


And this one ?

I just don't think your pink one is Neon. However your second one could possibly be Opal Star. It was also sold as Cherry Crush. There is a supposed to be a similar one called Ruby Star, which I've never seen. Check out the H. Opal Star entry on the DB.

Hi Barbara, thanks for your response. It is very confusing… all the names that are presented from various sellers for the same or similar bulb.
All the new doubles are a bit easier to ID.
Either way amaryllis can steal any one's heart in the middle of winter. Especially when the snow ❄️ covered landscape smothered in white ,not a single hint of color from a single flower except for the bulbs forced inside homes for the holidays.

Magical Touch putting up a 4th stalk

@crawgarden …Oh Boy more Blooms…Magical Touch is one of my favoriates an absolutely outstanding specimen. With perfect shape and size of a gorgeous bloom , lasts a long time .
That is a huge bulb you have . Don't forget to Post the latest bloom …

I'm waiting for the buds to open on 3 new varieties and 3 new double Amaryllis to pop out of dormancy. All New varieties for my collection. They are showing signs of wakin up.

Magical Touch is another one sold under at least two names, Magic and Magical Touch. It is particularly attractive. Hopefully, now that we are getting into the new year, this forum will see more and more photos of the new blooms. I only have four new bulbs indoors for Xmas. All have been extremely slow to get started, so it will be a while before I post. I am really pleased so far with H. belladonna, which is a small flowered one. I bought three bulbs of that cultivar, and all of them have 3 scapes, so they will make a spectacular display.