Josh, that bloom is just perfect - looks exactly like its name, a lemon star. Try to apply some Sweet Lillian pollen and see what happens. (Think this one is a diploid? Maybe not based on the shape on second thought.)

Alana

Alana,

I applied "Sweet Lillian" pollen, hopefully it takes! I also applied "Misty" as well just in case it is diploid. My guess is that it's a tetraploid as the flower is quite large and they're 4-5 each scape.

We will see!!!!!

Oh my gosh, that is beautiful! Love the yellow tones!

Sounds interesting :)
Is Lemon Star scented by any chance?
Michelle

Sadly, Michelle, it isn't :(

Amazing how flat the flower is... it could almost be 2 dimensions. It really shows off the beautiful of the blooms. Its probably weird to describe it this way, but the bloom looks delicious.

Good growing, Josh.

DR

Ah, too bad about it having no scent. But it sounds like it has other interesting characteristics that may make it a good one to get anyway...
I don't have any hippies of that color or shape.
Michelle

Josh, this beauty has a very Royal look to it. She's certainly lovely!

I decided to bump this thread in honor of my poor 'Lemon Star', it had NBF!!! I must buy another now!

Hey Josh are you telling me this beautiful lemon star bulb the one that you took the picture of has a nbf in it? If so that is horrible so sorry, I wish sometimes those things din't exist but then again I would break the chain of life!

Josh,I'm so sorry about your Lemon Star!! Last year I lost my Lemon Star mother (huge) bulb to NFB!! But thankfully, there were two good sized bulblets attached that weren't touched by the maggot..so I shall have to wait another year or two, but having her "children" bloom for me will mean more than having to go out and buy another..at least it's not particularly rare. I have several crosses with Lemon Star and Fairy Tale as well as something else, (I can't remember without looking) and they are all doing fine..a little compensation that she didn't live her life in vein.. Strange how you get attached to these bulbs isn't it?

And, speaking of NFB, I noticed that in one of my pots of papilio the mother bulb was looking a little stressed. I ignored it since the 3 good sized babies were jobbing out with leaves. Big Mistake!! Last week I finally took a look and to my dismay not only was the mother almost entirely eaten away but, all three golf ball sized babies were severely eaten. I started scooping out the rotten parts and was left with virtually nothing! I threw them all away after a few tears and nasty words..I still have 4 more pots of papilio..but, what a terrible waste..!!

I also thought that my Siren might have NFB also so I lifted it to fine an extremely large basal plate. Unfortunately, there are also 2 marble sized babies attached so I'm hoping (since there are no leaves on the mother) that I can wait until next summer to cut the basal plate and hopefully save the babies..what do you think? I loved my Siren so much I'm thinking of buying another (just in case)...

Donna

Hey Dondelux I have a question for you if you don't mind answering? If you leave your amaryllis bulbs in your room all around does this prevent the NBF?

Hi Phil,

Leaving them inside all year should alleviate the NBF, but only if you have a very sunny window and no holes in your screens ;-)) Of course a summer in the sun is always best but not always the safest. In the beginning of my collecting, my very first papilio was so precious to me that I did keep her inside in a South facing bay window and she was fine. Of course, now, with over 150 pots and counting, all go outside for the summer.
If I'm ever lucky enough to have a solarium added to our house then I would most likely leave many of them in..

Donna

Unfortunately, there are no guarantees. NBF can slip in through the smallest of openings, whether through a crack or hole in a window or screen, through the door as people come in and out of a home... if they detect their favorite meal, an amaryllid, they will find a way to get to it.

I thought I was safe, keeping my collection indoors... but NBF found a way in.

I would suggest applying a granular systemic and protecting bulbs in this manner, from the inside out.

This year I did apply a granular systemic to all my bulbs twice during the season and I only lost the one pot of papilios. Last year I lost over 10 of my large bulbs and I was devastated!! So I agree that the addition of the granular system must surely have helped..

I've made it a habit to protect the majority of my plants in this manner... using a systemic about twice annually on most. The systemic protects them throughout the season, and it prevents any insects from hitching a ride back indoors at the end of the growing season.

Daffodils are also very tasty to the NBF, and the larvae can devastate a nice spring blooming garden.

I also apply the Bayer 3 in 1 product before I set the bulbs out for the growing season and out of ~200+ pots only had 2 where bulbs mysteriously disappeared. I attribute that more to rot that to NFB...and I did have issues with NFB prior to instigating the systemic.
K

I did check out my Lemon Star bulb when they are all moved and it has gotten HUGE!! A couple of years ago I played with the "watercolor effect"...this was the result.
{{gwi:406847}}

Here's the original photo...you should try this...MicroSoft Photo Editor...fun!!
{{gwi:396378}}

Don't you just love all the special effects and masks? I use Adobe Photoshop, and it has myriad options for playing around with photos!

Nice, Kristi!

I probably go through 3 containers or more of the granular systemic while potting everything in early spring! But it really does help keep any insect issues from harming the plants and bulbs while they accustom themselves to their new homes. Potting and re-potting, or just planting in the garden, can be a tad stressful... which lowers the immune system of the plants, making them a little less able to fight off any infestation or recover from insect damage.

NBF can be extremely devastating... and amaryllids are their favorite meal.

Only 3 Jodi?? I apply 1/2 capful to each gallon pot (a little less for smaller pots) and think I went through 4-5 containers in the spring. It was on sale...I should have stocked up!!
;-)

Well, I go a little lighter on the application when it comes to certain plant types... and in the gardens, not wanting to harm the population of praying mantis we have... plus, I don't have as many bulbs as you do! You've far surpassed the number I have! :-)

We've gotten into the habit of picking up a few containers when we see it on sale, too... around here, that's usually about now. But, on sale or not, it's something we always keep handy!