Flower for the Day Amaryllis 4-5-19

Shy, timid nymph Amaryllis fell  in love with Alteo, a shepherd with Hercules' strength and Apollo's beauty. Hoping that she could win him over by bestowing upon him the thing he desired most - a flower so unique it had never existed in the world before - Amaryllis sought advice from the oracle of Delphi. Following instructions, Amaryllis dressed in maiden's white and appeared at Alteo's door for 30 nights, each time piercing her heart with a golden arrow. When at last Alteo opened his door, there before him was a striking crimson flower, sprung from the blood of Amaryllis's heart.

This is our first crimson amaryllis which is in her second year.  After wintering in the dark she perked up with water and sunlight. It took more than a month for her to bud.

In ten more days she grew tall. 

And began to open.

And four days later there are five (yes five) blossoms.

 

Spectacular.

With stamens (with their anthers and filaments), and pistils (with their stigmas, styles, and ovaries) of which to be most proud.

               I AM AN AMARYLLIS

                               Hippaestrum is my proper Latin name
                               I am so spectacular I simply put others to shame

                               From a large bulb my green shoots will grow
                               I dwarf the other plants I love to be on show
                             
                              With my elevated position I look down on other plants
                              They are tiny in comparison and look like little ant

                              When my tip emerges it contains my superior flower head
                              My blooms can live for three weeks yet other flowers are dead
                              
                              I am the king of flowers I can produce three flower stem
                             My trumpets are enormous, people stand and gaze at them
       
                              I have no scent for you to smell when I am flowering
                             The intensity of my blooms would make it overpowering
         
                             Once I've finished blooming I deserve a two-month rest
                            Then I will re-flower for you and show the world I am the best!
                                                
                                                          05~04~15 
                               Copyright © JAN ALLISON | Year Posted 2015