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Floating Flower Market - Giant Amaryllis Bulbs

AuntJemima
10 years ago

My friend is visiting amsterdam and i wondered if anyone knew anything about the giant amaryllis bulbs at the floating flower market?

Are they available now or is it later on in the year?

Anyone know the price of the 40cm + ones? And is there usually a good selection or will it just be a few un-named varieties in the standard red, white, orange, minerva stripe?

I can get most normal ones online but fancied some giant ones which are a bit harder to obtain.

I live in the EU so customs won't be a problem. I've seen them online at places like TyTy and was tempted but after seeing the complaints i don't dare.

Is it maintainable at that size or do they shrink dramatically after flowering, requiring the artificial conditions from growers to stay that size?

This post was edited by AuntJemima on Sat, Jul 20, 13 at 12:44

Comments (24)

  • kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
    10 years ago

    I posted photos with prices clearly visible in March 2010. Those bulbs are HUGE!! Shame that they weren't packaged for carrying back to the US!
    Kristi

    Boring vacation photos linked

    Here is a link that might be useful: EU vacation including bulbs

  • AuntJemima
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Love those pics. I emailed you separately.

    But i can't believe it... 3Euros each or 4 for 10 Euros!!! That is practically wholesale prices..

    I said to my friend to get me a couple but it looks like 5 i want now... lol

    Your pics made me real happy. :)

  • dondeldux z6b South Shore Massachusetts
    10 years ago

    I wasn't able to open your link Kristi....anyone else?

  • kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
    10 years ago

    AuntJemima could open it and has responded...Here's the URL:
    http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/amaryllishippeastrum/msg0320324916622.html
    K

  • AuntJemima
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    My friend got me one of each of those. Somewhat doubtful they will be true to variety, especially the papilio... didn't think they got that big.

    But thanks for your help Kristi. :)

    I guess there is something different about seeing them in person than just ordering online.

  • kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
    10 years ago

    If I had my way, I'd love to alway pick out my own bulbs. Those red-streaked ones scare me!! Enjoy your new bulbs. Keep us posted on how they do!
    K

  • AuntJemima
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Knowing my friend he'll have gotten me the most red ones as they were most ripe. I regret teaching him that lesson when choosing fruit, he'll probably apply that to the bulbs.

    It was a shame i was still asleep or else i'd have made him photograph the rest but they are probably all red lions anyway. Really makes me wonder how they get them that big.

    Now i'm just hoping he doesn't take 6 months to mail me them.

    Why are there no dutch ebay sellers enterprising enough to sell them online i wonder.

  • kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
    10 years ago

    Many of the sellers do offer JUMBO bulbs on line.
    K

  • AuntJemima
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Well i see 34cm bulbs for sale but i only really see the 40+ on RoyalColors website for consumer purchase at least for Europe or wholesale places. Is there other places?

    I was just wondering why all those stall owners in Holland do not ebay them. They could mark them up significantly like komoriya and still there would be demand as those sizes are not widely available. I should totally do it, only problem being they all sprout before i sell them and they end up not being the variety advertised.

  • kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
    10 years ago

    They'd need to get phyto certificates for each bulb sold to the US. I've seen jumbo bulbs elsewhere. Let me do a little looking.
    K

  • kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
    10 years ago

    Ok... That didn't take too long!!
    Quick search found jumbos offered by:
    Bloomingbulbs.com
    Brecks
    Amaryllis Bulb Co
    Eden Brothers (not sure if this used to be Eden's Blooms)
    And as previously mentioned...
    Royal Colors

    I'm sure there are others, but these popped up on a Google search of "jumbo amaryllis"
    K

  • AuntJemima
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Oh i kinda meant for them to sell to EU so certificates wouldn't be needed as i can't find anywhere selling jumbo bulbs to EU other than Royal Colors.

    I mean American websites seem to be carrying them more than european ones and they are grown here. Tempted to just buy them wholesale one time.

  • Lorna1949
    10 years ago

    I think that the one my daughter gave me two of the same color also I store them in the fridge so they will bloom next year I put them out in the summer and have the leaves grow big hoping this will works

  • AuntJemima
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi Lorna

    Do you have a picture of the bulb? Just wondering how much it shrinks by after flowering.

    My friend texted me and said he hated me as it turns out he bought me 4 and they were real heavy to lug back. lol I asked him if he wrote down what colour they were and he said no but then i said it doesn't matter, they will likely all be red anyway. lol

  • kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
    10 years ago

    AJ....I am laughing! I hope that you are disappointed and that they are all beautiful and different (AND NOT RED!).
    K

  • AuntJemima
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I hope so too. A giant papilio would be awesome.

    Otherwise it is going to be a consumer expose!

  • snarfie
    10 years ago

    AJ, i live in the netherlands, and pretty often it really is the bulb on the photo, the only wrong one came out as a magic green instead of a minerva.

  • AuntJemima
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Good to hear that Snarfie. To get a jumbo magic green instead of minerva would be a blessing for me. :)

  • Lorna1949
    10 years ago

    I could take a picture tomorrow but I did not take it out of the pot because it still growing it leaves and boy are they dark green the pot does not have any drainage which I wonder why

  • AuntJemima
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    So i finally went to pick them up from my friend who was just too lazy to mail me them. He did keep the jumbo ones in the fridge, although in a plastic bag so there was alot of mould but i cleaned that off. They had alot of roots which makes me think they were real fresh and had i gotten them planted, alot of those roots would have still been alive.

    The kicker was that they were 50cm+ in circumference, now i know why he complained about the weight. lol Going to have trouble finding a pot big enough and then a window sill that can accomodate them! O_O And there i was complaining about the small size of the japanese ones and yet these are too humungous.

  • kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
    10 years ago

    See AJ...I didn't mislead. I have normal "lady-sized" hands and they were HUGE! Glad you aren't disappointed! Next time you'll go right when your friend gets home!
    :-)
    K

  • macroclemys
    10 years ago

    Wow, is that a lid from a box from a carton of copier paper?!

  • AuntJemima
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Kristi: I was wrong to doubt you. lol In my mind jumbo was 40cm... didn't expect them to be 50 and one is supposed to be papilio. Yeah he kept saying he would send them.. and here we are months later with many rotted bulbs. lol Those babies make up for it though.

    The box on the left i think is from a copier box, the box on the right is the lid of a shoe box as i was letting them dry out a bit before i packed them up to send.

    If they are 16cm in diameter... would a 20cm pot be ok? I was going to use a half pot.. it is about 10cm tall.. if i sat the bulb at the top do you think that would be ok?

    I am soooo tempted to chip the papilio and end up with many babies. XD

  • kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
    10 years ago

    Get blooms out of em before dream of chipping!!! 20cm would allow a little less than an inch between pot and bulb, so should be ok. Instead of cuttage, I'd consider notching next season...

    Have fun and we expect photos of blooms!! Hope they aren't all Red Lion!!
    K

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