Hippeastrum Zombie, part 2

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After much anticipation .... the first zombie finally opened up on 30th Dec 2008, which is about 19 days after being potted ... it receives indirect sunlight during the day, and florescent light during the night .... I think that's one of the reasons the flower bloom in less than 20 days. Normally, as stated by the grower, it will need 28 days to bloom .... the other reasons could be :
1) Warm weather
2) Baja seaweed 8-)

For information, this is my first full double amaryllis and the first bulb that I purchased from overseas, coming from the USA. I was anxiously waiting with anticipation. Will the bulb arrive at all? Will it grow and produce beautiful blooms as depicted in the catalogue?

Now ... for the sequel, this is the gallery ... entahlah today feel like writing in English pulak ... all the pictures were snapped on 1.1.09, what a way to start the 1st morning of 2009 ... greeted by a zombie!!!

Two scapes ... the first scape produces 3 buds (2 are in bloom when the pictures were taken) and the second scape produce 4 buds (also 2 in bloom).


This is the picture taken from another angle . Notice that the bloom is facing a bit downwards ...


This is taken outside, the black background was removed, in its natural environment ...


Close-up of the bloom ... notice no stigma and pollens ... so, I am not putting much hope in collecting seeds from this variety ...


This is the picture of a showy zombie ... jadi bahan tayangan, placed on a garden table in my terrace ...


That's all folks ... hope you all enjoy the show 8-) 8-) 8-)

Hippeastrum Zombie, part 1

Copied from my Fotopage

Cerita pasal Amaryllis/Hippeastrum 'Zombie'. Kenapa ia dinamakan Zombie entahlah ... ikut teorinya, sebab bunganya kembang tunduk sikit ....

Bawang ni dibeli secara tender melalui e-Bay dengan harga USD6.01 sebiji. Kos penghantaran USD5.65. Jumlah dalam RM sebanyak RM 37, kira OK lah sebab jauh nak hantar tu, dari USA lagi. Ikut ceritanya bulb ni dibiakkan di South Africa, lepas tu dihantar ke Holland. Kemudian dihantar kpd distributor/seller kat USA. Dari USA, bulb ni diterbangkan ke Putrajaya... hehehe dah jauh berjalan mengelilingi dunia ni ...
Bulb ni sampai masa kami tengah bercuti raya haji ... posmen baling je kotak tu dari pintu agar ke bawah porch .. :rant:

Ni gambo masa lepas buka ... kulit dan akarnya dah kering ... masih boleh idop ke ni? :-) :-) :-)


Selepas dikupas kulitnya yg kering ... ehhh ada dua bublets melekat, bila dah agak beso, nak asingkan masuk pasu lain ... heppi sesangat :-> :-> :->

Pastu rendam bhg akarnya dalam air overnight, supaya akarnya segar balik dan lembut ... senang nak tanam dalam tanah ... 8-) 8-) 8-)


Dah siap tanam dalam pasu ... media tanah campur pasir sebab pokok jenis bebawang memerlukan well draining soil ...kalau tak akarnya akan tumbuh fungus dan mereput :-) :-) :-)


Seminggu kemudian ...jeng-jeng-jeng dah keluar scape/spike ... wahhh ... ada DUA scape... lelagi hepi ... :-D :-D :-D


Sekian untuk kali ini .... tunggu posting yang akan datang kalau nak tengok bunganya ... hehehe :wave: