Amaryllis trending as new holiday item
Amaryllis trending as new holiday item
The Amaryllis plant’s ability to grow incredibly quickly (sometimes gaining an inch or more a day) has inspired many people to “race” Amaryllis, according to a Jackson & Perkins press release. Whole offices participate in Amaryllis races, awarding ribbons to the plants that grew the fastest or produced the most beautiful blooms; and the latest trend is to compete with friends and family over Instagram using #AmaryllisChallenge.
“Amaryllis are the perfect holiday flower,” said Diane Reeder in the release, merchandise manager at Jackson & Perkins in Hodges, SC. “The blooms are amazing, and their brilliance captures the magic of the season. In my own family, I send Amaryllis to moms, sisters and sister-in-laws who live all across the country. We have a great time bragging about how our own Amaryllis is growing from week to week. The little children in the families especially like to measure the growth, as they seemingly grow overnight. It has been a wonderful way to share the season with my family who live far away.”
Reeder told The Produce News that Jackson & Perkins has entered the worldwide challenge.
“We started the #AmaryllisChallenge as a way to share photos this season of Amaryllis growth; it will be fun to see all the postings of the blooms from our customers who participate,” said Reeder.
Former Texas A&M Extension horticulturist, Jerry Parsons, explains that what we call “Amaryllis” is actually a hybrid of Hippeastrum, which was first introduced as a houseplant in 1799 and has steadily grown in popularity to the point it has become a holiday tradition in many households. The plant is easy to grow, produces large, colorful flowers and makes a delightful gift - especially in the middle of winter when little else is growing.
“People absolutely love the gift of an amaryllis,” Reeder told The Produce News. “They are magical to watch grow. They grow almost right before your eyes and the blooms are large and majestic.”
Amaryllis performs well inside holiday homes because it is already adapted to relatively warm and dry conditions, due to its tropical origins. And as a gift plant, it doesn’t require months and months to grow before it’s ready to bloom. Because Amaryllis bulbs already have a season of energy and nutrients stored in its tissues, it blossoms in just six to eight weeks.
For more information, visit jacksonandperkins.com.