Being a bee today! Happily, it’s amaryllis season again, so I’ve been pollinating the flowers of this bulb by hand.

I look forward to this favourite horticultural activity every year! 🙂

Also looking forward to harvesting the seeds they’ll produce in a few weeks time, and then sowing those offspring in order to grow more amaryllis babies.

The cycle continues!

More on this amaryllis: Its botanical name is Hippeastrum striatum.  It’s believed to be one of the first hybrid amaryllis, with a modern botanical history dating back to the late 1700’s.

Sometimes called a ‘Barbados lily’, this flowering herbaceous perennial bulb plant hails from the Amaryllidaceae family, and it’s native to the southern and eastern regions of Brazil.

It was originally brought to the UK upon its discovery back in 1759, and first listed in the Library at Kew in 1789.

Discovering more history on this amaryllis is very exciting!

I only wish I could share this information with my late great Uncle Allan from whom I inherited the plant. He always wanted to know more about the amaryllis because it originated from his grandmother, who incidentally was my Great-great Grandmother.

But, that’s not going to happen now, so I’m just grateful to be its current caretaker, and happy to continue, (in some small way), to propagate and promote the heritage and lineage of this lovely plant.

For tips on how to propagate your amaryllis, or if you’re seeking some information on how to keep an Amaryllis healthy and happy from year to year, I’ve written a more in-depth blog post here.

Happy Flowering Friday, everyone!