Another year, and no nearer to Vera

Registered back in 1987, ‘Vera’ had been so ubiquitous in the trade that I never worried about securing one to photograph from the leisure of my own home. Until I tried. Through the 90’s it seemed that it was typically marketed as the warm, coral pink counterpart to purely pink ‘Susan’; both offering different color takes on the heavy substance and large flat Dutch form that the public craved. While ‘Vera’ can still be found just about anywhere amaryllis bulbs are sold, including in gift box kits, it has in actuality become scarce of late. All efforts the past few seasons have met with failure, and this season it was time to try McClure & Zimmerman as the source. Once again, no go. Here we have the unmistakable deep magenta rose of ‘Lagoon’, an entirely different and more modern cross. ‘Lagoon’ is a terrific selection, but not even close to being in the correct color class. What will next year bring? We’ll see, as you can be certain that something will be sold under ‘Vera’s’ name, just doubtfully the right thing.