Introduced by Ludwig in 1954, Apple Blossom is a thoroughly reliable and beautiful cultivar. It's deservedly one of the most popular and common varieties available. It's a gorgeous pink and white, well named as it resembles the blossom of apples in colouring. It never disappoints.
Amaryllis Red Lion is the most common Amaryllis I see for sale in my area every winter. It is a popular holiday gift plant for forcing indoors during the colder months. One of the classics, Red Lion has huge, 8-inch-wide, vibrant red blooms ... perfect for the holiday season. Red Lion looks wonderful when grouped with a couple of the white varieties of Amaryllis or white Poinsettias.
This is actually the true Amaryllis - the flowers that we see around Christmas are of the Hippeastrum family that have adopted the common name of Amaryllis. The common name is "Naked Lady", which refers to the leafless bloom. Lycoris squamigera is also called "Naked Lady" and has a similar bloom.
I planted 'Minerva' bulbs in a container with other plants and quickly forgot about them. Then one day I noticed these lovely buds showing, soon to be followed by the beautiful blooms. It is a long-blooming Amaryllis. I experienced blooms on this one off and on all summer.
Papilio is a FAST bloomer...I received mine as an unpotted bulb and I potted it the last week of December. By the last week of January, it was blooming!
This bulb is able to withstand cold temperatures and poor soils. This is an April/May-blooming red and white striped garden amaryllis found in many heirloom gardens.
This is a BIG amaryllis! In addition to the large double blooms, it seems to put up extra-tall stalks for me. It holds my personal "tallest bloom" record -- 42", from base of stalk to highest petal tip. And it didn't need a stake!
Red Pearl is a spectacular Amaryllis. Mine is tall with large blossoms, which are a very rich, intense shade of dark red. The petals are wide, giving the bloom a very full look. One of my favorites so far this bloom season.
'Aphrodite' is my favorite Amaryllis of all time. I just love the shape and color of the bloom.
Many times the label will say Picotee, when it is actually Picotee Picasso. Picotee has pure white petals with the red picotee thread around the edge of the petal. Picotee Picasso looks the same, except it tends to have a blush of tiny red spots on some or all of the petals. Both are pretty. Picotee seems to be a good breeder and will cross with itself, and many other hippeastrum. But I have never got it to cross with Butterfly Papilio, which is its own species. The seeds form in pods and are papery thin. It is often easiest to get the seeds to sprout by floating them in a bowl of water. Plant them after a root grows, or even wait until a root and then a leaf appears. Be prepared to wait quite a while for a flower though - it takes 3-5 years to get big enough to bloom.
