Butterfly amaryllis is in bloom -- unlike the better-known big red amaryllis, these blooms are short-lived. . . but so exotic.
I didn't always appreciate amaryllis -- when I was growing up in Florida, our neighbors had a long row of them planted along the street. They throve and grew untidy, their long stems topped with gaudy red blooms usually toppled under their own weight.
Over the years, I've acquired a number of pots of amaryllis -- they're a popular Christmas gift -- and I've gained an appreciation for their stately beauty and the drama of the emerging stem and slowly opening flower.
A good thing I like them -- Mr. Google tells me that the bulbs can continue to produce flowers for up to seventy-five years. . .
