Clear as Mud

‘Kahlua’ is one of the smaller cut-flower cybister/spider type amaryllises that Royal Colors gamely offered aficionados this season. With its quiet cream and chestnut coloration, it probably wouldn’t sell in droves alongside its bolder brethren during the dull days of winter. But, hey, I must not be the only one who wanted the chance to see it in person, as it did sell out. Ah, but here we go  again. As noted less than 10 days prior to this post, the first of four bulbs procured was way off the mark. Now we have this one. 

With its disheveled shape upon opening, and some of the muddiest coloring seen to date on any commercially produced amaryllis, this one seems not quite ready for prime time. Small flowers from thin scapes are rusty red for the most part, but with variable and patchy amounts of green welling up from the background, rendering the whole thing a dull and uneven brownish tint. Perhaps if it opened in full sun during the long days of summer it would improve, but probably not a great deal. It would be a surprise to find this guy ever getting a proper name, but even in its current state a floral designer could certainly make use of its autumnal tones. To be honest, it is rather fun to get these one-off mystery bulbs, but it did not come cheaply! Two down, two to go. Will we ever see the true ‘Kahlua’ on these pages, or will we be left with the bitter taste of a rather murky cup of mud?