Here come #11 and #12! Way to go, Amna!

Amna Amaryllis on February 3, 2021

I’ve always believed that it’s a book that is “a gift that gives on giving. ” However, I’m rethinking that… or at least amending it to include flowering bulbs.

Our waxed amaryllis bulb was given to us by Harry and Linda Schleef almost two months ago — December 8th!  We had the first four blooms in time for Christmas.  The second four came in time for New Years.  Later in January, the third stalk came up and presented us with two more gorgeous red flowers, bringing the total to ten!

Thinking Amna might wish to hear the language of her forefathers, we were just beginning to say “totsiens”  to her.  That’s “good bye” in  Africaans, the official first language of South Africa, native home of the Amaryllis.    But… before I had time to check my pronunciation, up came a FOURTH stalk and now she’s getting ready to birth blossoms number eleven and twelve!  Maybe more!  Hard to believe.

Amna on December 31, 2020

Will there be a thirteen and fourteen?  I guess we’ll have to wait and see.  I did do a little research to see how many blossoms an amaryllis growing in a waxed bulb might be expected to have.  This is what I found:  Most bulbs produce one or two flowering stalks, each with a cluster of 2 to 14 showy, brightly colored flowers.  Hmmm.  Not descriptive of the experience of this particular amaryllis whose name, you may recall, is Amna.  I gave her that name because I liked the sound of Amna Amaryllis.  As it turns out, Amna is Arabian in origin and means “safe.”

I’m not sure I can connect those dots — Arabian, South African, Oysterville.  And, frankly, who cares!  Right now it’s all about Amna — her beauty and her generosity.  To say nothing of the enjoyment she had given us and continues to bestow!



				
			

One Response to “Here come #11 and #12! Way to go, Amna!”

  1. Inez Greenfield says:

    I am amazed at the numerous blooms. This winter I did have last year’s bulb bloom again.

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