At dinner a few nights ago, the question arose: Where does the name amaryllis come from? After several wild guesses, I went to Mr. Google.
Amaryllis is from the Greek and means sparkling. There was a nymph of that name who fell in love with a handsome shepherd (as so often happened.) But, alas, he only loved flowers... (insert obligatory sheep joke.)So, after consulting with the oracle at Delphi, Amaryllis visited the shepherd's cottage daily, and on each visit, pierced her heart with an arrow so that drops of her blood fell to the ground. On the 30th day, sparkling red flowers bloomed where the blood had fallen. The flower-loving shepherd was impressed and fell in love with Amaryllis.
A perfect Valentine's Day flower? What with the heart pierced by an arrow...However--the red flowers referenced in the Greek legend are not the same as these familiar beauties. These popular flowers are of South African origin and were given the name in 1768 by a Dutch botanist. The Dutch have long been mad for bulbs and most amaryllis bulbs come from Holland now.
