Here are some of the late Ed Zinkowski’s Nerine sarniensis hybrids, two Nerine species hybrids, and one hybrid of my own raising. They are a joy in the fall. Nerine’s begin to bloom with the fall rains and as the weather cools. Now starting into bloom in Greenhouse #3. They will continue to flower through late November.
Nerine’s are a lovely member of the Amaryllidace family from S. Africa. As such, they are distant cousins to the genus Narcissus. They come in every color but blue. The flowers have either a notable silver dusting or gold dusting which reflects most strongly in full sun. This extraordinary, truly jaw dropping aspect is most difficult to capture with a camera. They are stunning in person and last an unusually long time when cut for arrangements.
I’m not certain of the reason but this year will be the finest flowering here in at least a decade. Nerine’s are the only Amaryllidace that has three years of nascent or developing buds in the bulb. Pretty neat. The bad part of this is that they can abort year one, two, or three, and/or any combination of those buds, based on totally unknown factors.
Steve
