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20. The Amaryllis Family

Few large growers have made a specialty of the amaryllids, which include the handsome Agapanthus, Clivia, Haemanthus, Sprekelia, and Zephyranthes. Currently the main sources are foreign, but there is no reason why you couldn't grow and sell them here. Many have only basic cultural requirements.

How to Grow Amaryllids

Culture is about the same for all of them. Large bulbs are potted so their crowns are well above the soil—about one-third. Smaller bulbs are set with crowns barely protruding from the soil. All are heavy feeders, and during their growth period they should not be allowed to dry out.

Prepare a soil of fibrous loam, sand, and leafmold with a pH no higher than 6.5. Growers in Florida have experimented with synthetic growing media. Wyndham Hayward of Lakemont Gardens, Winter Park, recommends potting in sphagnum moss well firmed around the bulb. The bulbs are fed regularly with dried, sterilized, cow manure, about 1 teaspoonful every 2 weeks for bulbs growing in 6- or 7-inch pots. In addition, they receive liquid fertilizer every week. The moss must be damp but not soggy.

Bring amaryllids into growth in a house with a minimum tem­perature of 60 degrees. If it is well ventilated, they do not seem to suffer even when in summer temperatures go up to the 90's. Good light is necessary to keep flower scapes straight.

After flowering, amaryllids usually produce heavy foliage. This must continue to grow for at least 6 months to let the bulbs "fatten" and make buds for the next flowering. As foliage yel­lows—usually in the fall—dry off the bulbs and store at 45 to 50 degrees. When new growth shows, bring the bulbs to the light, water them, and feel assured that they are set for another round of bloom.

Propagation

Propagation of most amaryllids is through offsets, the term applied to small bulbs growing alongside the mother bulb. These can be separated and potted individually. Some growers "rim out" the bottom of the bulb—as previously described for hyacinths—to make it produce more offsets. Don't try this trick unless you're experienced.

With the species amaryllids you can produce more of their kind by hand pollinating them and raising them from seed. The majority of amaryllids ripen seed in about 6 weeks, but Haeman-thus seeds sometimes take up to 4 months.

Seeds should be planted immediately after ripening in a light loam. As soon as the weather warms up, the little seedlings can be transplanted to the cold frame or lath house or directly into the garden. Not hardy in most areas, they have to be re­planted to pots or flats and kept in the greenhouse during the cold months.

AMARYLLIS—AND YOUR PROFIT

The large Dutch bulbs are favorites with collectors and others who want the pleasure of bringing a bulb to flower in their own homes. Because they take so much space, it is not generally a money-making proposition for the small operator to propagate these bulbs, unless you are thinking of establishing your own line of hybrids. If you want to sell the large Dutch types, you will make more money purchasing bulbs in quantity lots and reselling them at retail in early fall. If you pot leftover bulbs, you can sell them as budded or flowering plants.

The species amaryllis are smaller flowered and much prized by collectors. There are A. striata and its varieties in shades of salmon to near pink; A. calyptrata with fragrant green flowers; the "blue" amaryllis, A. Worsleya Rayneri, with mauve-tinted, ruffled flowers; Mrs. Garfield, a named variety of A. reticulata, having a cream-colored stripe down the leaf midribs and pink-and-white flowers with the coming of autumn.

Dr. Ira Nelson of Louisiana State University has discovered some beautiful South American species. A number of these are definitely yellow. One especially fine one is A. Evansae, which opens creamy yellow and fades to white with foliage and flow­ers much smaller than those of the Dutch amaryllis.

Get your start on the species by purchasing bulbs or seeds. You can then pollinate the flowers and sell the seed crop. Or you can grow the seeds and sell the seedlings, and increase the price according to their age.

Amaryllis calyptrata and A. Evansae are difficult to self pol­linate. With these the best procedure is to use pollen from an­other plant of the same species rather than from the same plant. Thus, it is good insurance to purchase two bulbs of the rarer sorts—or grow a few seedlings for your own hybridizing.

CLIVIA

An evergreen amaryllid, Clivia produces umbels of salmony orange flowers. Because of its bulk, it is not generally a money-maker for the small greenhouse, but you should know about it and perhaps grow a few as a trial. It is stunning in flower, and rather decorative in leaf, too.

This amaryllid grows from heavy rootstocks rather than from a bulb. The dark green leaves remain on the plant for 2 or more years. Clivias require the same soil and light as amaryllis, but they need somewhat different care during their rest period. While they should never be allowed to go dormant, they must have at least 3 months in a cool (50-degree) temperature to form buds. Blooming time is variable, but usually from Easter until midsummer.

Do not repot oftener than absolutely necessary, as clivias are temperamental and seldom produce flowers the year they are repotted.

Clivia miniata, the most popular one, has large umbels of salmon flowers; C. caulescens, a good one for collectors, slender orange-and-green flowers. Seeds of either bring as much as 25 cents each; mature plants of C. miniata sell for around $4.00; C. caulescens for at least $6.00.

HAEMANTHUS

Haemanthus, better known as the African blood lily, is fast becoming a popular pot plant. This is an excellent item for collectors, growers of rare house plants, or the gardener who wants one or two "conversation" plants. One firm now lists seven species, and you can get an effective start toward stock­ing your greenhouse by purchasing a bulb or two of each. I have procured seeds from Africa and grown many of my hae­manthus from them.

Most bulbs send out many offsets, and these can be removed when they are about a year old. Since the older bulbs retail for$1.50 to $10.00, these offsets, especially those of the rarer sorts, are easy to sell. Almost all species are good seed setters. The usual method of pollinating is to rub your hand over the flowers every day while plants are in bloom. This insures pollen dis­tribution of the small flowers.

79. A profit-packed bench of orchid plants, ready to please all kinds of customers among the ever-expanding legions of orchid hobbyists. And there's usually a good market for the cut blooms too. Note the super-drainage holes in the special orchid pots. (Photograph by Genereux)

While the majority of haemanthus grow best in bright light, the white-flowered one, H. albiflos, flowers only in a shaded location.

Haemanthus Katharinea produces a hundred or more tomato-red flowers and supple green leaves; H. multiflora, with its beautifully proportioned flower head, is recommended for the beginner. The neck of the bulb is speckled red, and the flower scape, 12 to 14 inches high, firmly supports the ball of red flowers. Other varieties, as H. magniftcus, and H. coccineus also are red or reddish orange, while H. albiflos and its variations have tassels of white flowers.

Haemanthus requires little rest. Some of the red-flowered varieties shed their foliage about 4 to 6 weeks before sending up bloom scapes; H. albiflos remains evergreen, shedding only some of the older leaves. I keep my haemanthus in the green­house the year round, never setting them in dark quarters for a dormant period.

SPREKELIA (THE JACOBEAN LILY)

Slender, tapering, red petals give Sprekelia an exotic aspect. It sends out but one flower to a scape, and it requires the same general care as amaryllis. The most common complaint with novice growers seems to be, "I can't get it to produce flowers the second year." While in active growth it must never become dry. Too, the Jacobean lily requires constant fertilizing. I alternate fertilizers—one time a complete commercial type, next time fish emulsion. The plants are sturdy enough to stand sum­mering in the garden, but if you live in a cold area, do not set them out until you are certain danger of frost is over. I once planted a number of sprekelias in the garden on Memorial Day; the following morning there was a freeze so hard the bulbs took the whole summer to recover, and they did not bloom the following winter.

Bulbs are reasonably priced—about 50 cents each in cata­logs. Potted plants in bud or bloom bring you about $2.00 each. If you want to try for intergeneric hybrids, this might be a good plant for you to work with. There are reports of hybrids between Sprekelia and Crinum.

ZEPHYRANTHES  (FAIRY LILIES)

Ofeasiest culture, the fairy lilies are ideal for the indoor garden, patio, porch box, or greenhouse. The bulbs are small and can be planted singly in 4-inch pots, or several to a bulb pan. The flowers in shades of rose, white, and yellow look like tiny amaryllis. Culture, including rest period, is like that of amaryllis.

PROFIT IDEAS

An Illinois grower has excellent results with amaryllids. His ridge-type greenhouse is 10- by 16-feet with one glass end, the other attached to his home, a prefab, it cost about $400.00. He orders Dutch bulbs through a wholesaler and immediately re­tails them to local and mail-order customers. Keeping files on the collections of his customers, he encourages them to try special varieties. These are ordered for them and shipped at the proper time.

Leftover bulbs are planted in flats, and allowed to bloom. The choicest are pollinated, and seeds from them are sold. Older bulbs are kept and sold as larger stock or as flowering potted plants.

A California grower stocks a variety of amaryllids. Larger ones like Agapanthus, Clivia, and some Haemanthus, are used by his customers as unusual landscaping material. Cyrtanthus is a favorite with collectors, arrangers, and corsage-makers. His customers, local and mail order, can always depend on him to supply them with the newest in amaryllids.

An Oklahoma grower reports a neat profit from sales of her greenhouse-grown zephyranthes used in corsages for her retail trade.

I sell seeds of the Dutch amaryllis, fifteen for $1.00. Haeman­thus seeds go two for a quarter, and small haemanthus bulbs at $1.25 to $2.00 each.

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