I found these bulbs last week at my local WalMart, but I had to really look hard to find any good ones. Most of them are small with few to no roots, but none have had any rot on them. I did buy several, hoping for some nice surprises, but I doubt there are any blooms from them this year. It's been so cold here, I have trouble keeping everything warm (even in the greenhouse), and the bulbs seem to need lots of warmth to grow and bloom. This weather is supposed to get back to normal by Thursday and boy, am I ready for some "normal" winter weather.
Beverly

Well Beverly...RULE #22 of the forum (just kidding)...when the box kits and bagged hippis appear on shelves near you...ANNOUNCE IT!! Then the rush is on for everyone else to find them, and there's all sorts of moaning and groaning that "they aren't in my area yet!", etc!! :-) and all sorts of excitement when people score, or when they are reduced to half price, etc!! You have to let us know these things!

I bought 4 last year and they were as marked...no surprises! They were nice. Bulbs are decent size, not huge by any measure, but I got 2 scapes out of each. They are nice to put in a pot...5 bulbs for $15, which is comparable to buying 1 huge named hybrid. Hey...they are what they are...bagged bulbs from WalMart...but I was pleasantly surprised last year! I only found one bulb that I wouldn't buy today (I bought one of every color for my BFF in CA)and another set for me. Many had the tips of scapes peaking out already!
Kristi

Kristi, sorry I'm late in making the announcement!! Rule #22 will NOT be broken again!!! I can see I will have trouble keeping up with you and all the rest!!! I will check back each time I visit WalMart and pick up a few more hoping for some mislabels! or surprises - I'll take anything. So far the boxed kits have been as labeled so I'll probably end up with multiples of everything. There weren't any "exotics" here, just the usual three. Apple Blossom is opening at the moment.

I did find a bulb at a most unexpected place - The Dollar General. The display was hiding right next to the register, on the floor, in the dark, skinny space right next to the display of candy. And I found one named Cinderella. It has 2 scapes on it and with any luck one of them will make it. The bulb itself was in decent shape. If the blooms open, I'll get a picture and post.
Won't you be glad when this weather retreats back up North? I am just not used to this much cold.
Beverly

Thanks for the announcement Kristi! I'll be off to Walmart tomorrow to see what I can find and hope for some surprises. I bought two bagged "read and white stripe" ones last year that never did bloom for me but got really big - so hopefully they'll bloom this year. The two potted $5 ones I bought in Oct turned out to be excellent, all things considered. Gotta love a bargain!
Alana

It's funny, but you can't always tell by the size or presence of roots whether they will bloom this year. Some will and some won't.

The reds are usually pretty good at blooming, and they appear to be different varieties (not necessarily and rarely in the past were they Red Lion).

The whites last year held a suprise. Some were a beautiful double with multiple scapes. These may be White Peacock, but there is no proof of that.

In recent years, the pinks have all turned out to be Apple Blossom and the red and white were Minerva, but that has not always been the case.

They used to have an orange, and trust me, I am not a fanatic about orange, but they were quite pretty, and I decided I like orange after all.

I have usually been very pleased when I purchased these. Unfortunately, it is too early to plant them in the garden and expect the blooms to survive, but you can pot them up temperarily, enjoy what blooms you get, then plant them in the garden in March.

Sounds like I need to make a trip to Walmart this week, huh?

Ann

I won't be planting mine in the ground; they will stay in pots. With this weather pattern we've been "enduring", I was out in the cold, digging up some that have been in the ground for several years. In December, we had over 15" of rain, then this round of freezing temperatures so I decided it would be container gardening for me!!! And I will be looking for something other than the usual Apple Blossom, Red Lion, etc. when they bloom. My daughter may be the recipient of the duplicates!!!
Happy shopping.
Beverly

Ann, good observation on the roots. Come to think of it, there were minimal roots on the two bagged bulbs I bought that didn't bloom. I'll keep that in mind when I shop for them this year! Thanks!
Alana

Alana,

I do prefer to pick out the ones with roots rather than bigger bulb size.

I don't know if that makes sense, but I do like to see at least a few plump roots.

Ann

WoooHooo! Love it!

BTW Alana- check the Walmart at Brier Creek right inside the back door at the plant section on the right...the leftover 'Red Lions' are $1.00 each. I had a friend (a good friend) that called me and picked up 5 for me...as if I needed them...LOL!

These are to enjoy what blooms they may have and then in the garden and to STAY! With all the rain and COLD I got scared and pulled them all up...I couldn't take it. I will give it another go next fall...lol!

-Frank

Frank, ok I'll go look - only look though (yeah right). Let me know when you're headed over to Briar Creek so I can give you these bulbs, btw. Or I can just meet you at Crabtree.
Alana

As usual, our area has nothing. We're always the last to get any of the bagged or garden variety Hippeastrum. Oh well... it's not like I have any indoor room for more, but I would sort of like to store a few for early spring planting in the garden.

And please... don't send the cold weather north! We don't want it, either! We're about sick of winter at this point, and can't wait for a sign of spring to get here... any sign, at all! :-)

Walmart in this area has them and Home Depot or Lowes was unpacking bulbs and had amaryllis also. Home Depot had the boxes for $2.99, way too much!
I think every one I bought last year bloomed. No surprises. Bought a couple this weekend. WAAAAYYYYY too cold to go out in the garden!
Tally HO!

I miss the fun times. :(

Dose any one know if walmart or any one else in Sacramento CA. Has bagged hippo bulbs

Dose any one know if walmart or any one else in Sacramento CA. Has bagged hippo bulbs

Dose any one know if walmart or any one else in Sacramento CA. Has bagged hippo bulbs

Dose any one know if walmart or any one else in Sacramento CA. Has bagged hippo bulbs

Linpony...how on earth did you manage to send the same message 5 times!! If I respond to the same message more than 1 time, my second message gets rejected!!
:-)

Hippo bulbs... lol

I'm not sure if any stores in California do have them but typically they're out of season now so I doubt it. You may be able to find garden varieties?

The bagged bulbs were the garden varieties.
Hippo bulbs must make BIG blooms!!
K

Walmart just got them in. They are in bags for $2.98 each. Label simply says "Garden Amaryllis". They come in "pink", "white" and "red" - no names. Interestingly, each label for the bulbs in the display (many varieties including daylilies, cannas, dahlias, etc.) is marked as annual or perennial. The amaryllis are marked as annuals!

(Didn't and won't buy any. I'm swimming in bulbs, seedlings and seeds. No place left to plant them.)

Carol

Funny you mention that, Carol. Recently I got a "red & white" amaryllis bulb (looked like Minerva in the picture) and I was surprised that it said 'annual' on there too! I guess they're covering their bases if they send to colder zones and people stick them in the ground without bringing them in over winter.