Thai Thai! C’mon C’mon!

Some eight years in the making, Hadeco’s twisty tepaled ‘Thai Thai’ finally seems on the verge of full production and availability this season. By verge, I mean not quite. Though there were rumblings of small numbers of these bulbs making their way into the U.S. last season, no photographic evidence has shown that to have been the case. Hadeco’s amaryllis website began posting promo photos around 2008, but currently shows 2017 as the first official date of availability. Certainly this means the 2017/2018 season here in Emaryllisland. Usually, as production is ramping up for major release, there will be smaller crops maturing, and we often see these showing up as mislabeled, or provisionally labeled bulbs. In this case it is not simply a limited release, but a sputtering glimmer of hope in the form of a mixed case shipment.

Several weeks ago, Kristi on the Houzz garden forums posted the first incontrovertible evidence that ‘Thai Thai’ has, at long last, landed on our shores. Do remain calm good people, for as you might have already gleaned, this exciting news comes with tempered with a deflating caveat. These were part of an apparent mixed crate of bulbs that also contained other Hadeco “Sonatini” types, with ‘Belladonna’ obviously at least one part of the mix. Almost immediately after the Houzz site posting, Living Gardens announced the availability of the cultivar. Ahh, then the catch…prior to shipment they posted an update and much lowered pricing explaining that they too had received a mixed shipment, and that they could not guarantee the identity of the individual bulbs. The honesty is much appreciated. As is the chance, however slim, to obtain this long-awaited hybrid Hippeastrum.

Not to be caught an entire season behind the expected full commercial release of ‘Thai Thai’ next fall, Emaryllis immediately ponied up for the six bulbs photographed at left. It seems quite certain that there is variabilty in the size and shape in this batch. If I were taking bets, the odds would be on the one in the center being the desired clone. Not only is it bulkier, but it is clearly in no hurry to bloom like the others. It just stands to reason that it will make us wait longer for verification than all others in the box!

For a “control” of sorts, six bulbs of Hadeco’s ‘Belladonna’ were purchased from BloomingBulb. These arrived quickly and seem consistent; there is little doubt that each of the eagerly scaping, squatty bulbs will be the same, and very likely true-to-name.

With just a little luck, we will be soon enough be able to post some images of this long anticipated Hadeco selection. Fingers crossed!