Amaryllis, maybe?

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Think you might be talking about a Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata), which is really not a palm at all, but part of the Beaucarnea family and native to Mexico. Does this photo match what you're thinking of?

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Patty S.

I think it is more likely that it was a hybrid Amaryllis bulb, which are often used for forced bloom during winter. I wouldn't exactly call the blooms small, and they only bloom once a year, but otherwise every part of your description fits this plant. They are usually easily available from a florist shop, places like Trader Joes often carries them, and they can also be ordered mail order from bulb companies.

Yes Patty it looked similar to the palm picture you have posted....but only in the lower extremity.. above the weird bulb part it quickly tapered into a thin green stem, from which large lily like leaves came out of it...

so perhaps a hybrid like bahia is talking about?

Thank you so much everyone. I hope I can find it. I thought it was very common since I purchased it at IKEA, but have never seen it at any store or nursery since that time..

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for clarification, it was not actually a bulb I dont think, but it looked like the picture above where the base is like a round bowl, with that strange skin...

Oops, I agree, missed the flower. Must be some sort of Amaryllis.

Patty S.

patty the base looked real similar to the little one you posted, it didnt look anything like the amaryllis onion like base/bulb..

the leaves looked like lily pads, like these:

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:511497}}

Was this an indoor potted plant or a outdoor landscape plant?

I'm running through my mental inventory of plants that are common enough that you might find them at Ikea, but I'm not coming up with anything. Among the rare plant files, what you've mentioned so far makes me think of Stephania, but that hardly seems likely.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stephania venosa

Yes! DIck sonia, very similar to the Stephania Venosa!!! Te leaves look almost identical,....the flowers do too...although the Stephania looks a tad more vine like?

This thing did not seem viny at all. It did have that big bulge at the base though, although it was not quite as tumor like as the ones in this picture:

Perhaps it's something related to the Stephania?

Thank you so much everyone , I feel I am getting closer to finding what it was.

Here is a link that might be useful: steph

I think Dick got it. The pictures I linked were of the large 30-50 year old plant, so a young one would look smaller at the base..

Thank you DICK!!! I think that is the plant!!!!!!

it is one of the plants in the family that Stephania belongs to!!!!

They have them all listed in this site... Thank you DICK SONIA!!! I HAVE FOUND THE PLANT!!!!!! I think its one of the other varieties of the Menispermaceae family!!!!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: family includes:

I was taken by the title of your post, posted on valentines day. As an old married guy I would never use a term like "appease" when speaking of my wife, could cause problems. Much safer to use a term like "please". Al

You betcha!

Well, I'm dumbfounded...and a bit dubious. Ordinarily these plants are only found among collectors of caudiciforms who have avidly sought them out and are very aware of what they are. It doesn't seem likely that one would pick one up at a big-box store as an impulse purchase. It also doesn't seem likely that one could be killed through neglect. Are you sure the old one is dead? It may have just shed its top growth and gone into dormancy mode. Resurrecting new growth from the old caudex would most likely be easier than trying to source a new one. I don't think I've ever come across one for sale, other than websites of Chinese exporters.

Perhaps this rather rare (?) plant was being grown for another buyer and got mixed up in IKEA's greater order. I once acquired an experimental plant this way, and the growers were soooo happy to get it back.

How about Buddah Belly Plant, Jatropha podagrica

Here is a link that might be useful: Jatropha