Monday, February 20, 2012

Naked Ladies!

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Here is the little baby-sprout I spied peeking up through the earth about a week ago...for the life of me I couldn't remember what I had planted there...I knew it was a bulb, but what kind? I just couldn't remember ~ old age is creeping up on me!

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Then, when I was out checking on what other plants were coming to life in the garden, there was the baby...(and she had friends!) several inches tall, now...As soon as I saw the strap-like foliage, I remembered ~ the Naked Ladies! I had dug and potted a few of them when we moved from our cute little vintage house on Kingshighway; however, they didn't come up last year after I'd planted them at the edge of the herb garden, and I thought I had lost them...I was so happy to see them!
Naked Ladies are such curious plants! They are a true Amaryllis ~ "Amaryllis Belladonna" ~ and they go by a whole host of names ("A Rose, by any other name..."?) ~ besides Naked Ladies, they're also known as Magic Lilies, Pop-Up Lilies, Surprise Lilies, Resurrection Lilies and Belladonna Lilies. They send up inch-wide strap-like foliage about the same time that daffodils and other Spring bulbs bloom, then die down again ~ (for years I thought the mystery clumps of flowerless foliage were from someone's mowing them once too often!) ~ Then, in about mid-August, completely leafless flower stalks pop up ~ seemingly overnight, but I think they just aren't noticeable until the gorgeous (fragrant!) blossoms open...
Here, you can drive around the older sections of town in late Summer and see groups of the lilies in yards everywhere...little groups of them clustered together, like old girlfriends, gossiping...♥

♥ ♥ ♥
Anne

3 comments:

  1. Spring has sprung--yippee! :-) Jennifer

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  2. Very pretty plant. I am so looking forward to Spring. Deb=^..^=x4

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  3. I've never planted any of these, but I love the name!

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