Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

December houseplant of the month: Amaryllis

The story of Amaryllis
Stylish and sensual Amaryllis (also known as Hippeastrum) is available in many varieties and rich earthy colours. This houseplant’s big feature is its changing appearance. A stately hollow stem emerges from a bulb on which smooth buds develop. Those open into voluminous calyxes with velvety petals in white, salmon, red, pink or even green. The flowers can reach a diameter of 20 cm. This is very spectacular, particularly because you do not expect such a lavish display from such a sleek stem, especially not in the winter months.
Origin 
Amaryllis is a member of the Narcissus family, with more than 70 species. It’s native to the (sub-)tropical regions of Mexico and the Caribbean through to northern Argentina. The first plants probably developed in Brazil. The plant was first cultivated in Europe in around 1800.
What to look for when buying Amaryllis 
  • When buying Amaryllis, look at the colour and the flower shape which will emerge from the bulbs. The larger the bulb, the more (hollow) stems emerge from it, sometimes up to 3-4 stems per pot. Every stem produces 3 or 4 conical flowers. The less ripe the plant is, the trickier it is to see how many buds will form, but the buds are usually fairly well-developed in the supply phase.
  • Check that the bulb is well rooted and not too loose in the pot. A green tip must already visible on the bulb when purchasing.
  • Check that there is no mould on the bulb or the soil – a sign that the plant has been too damp.
  • The bulb and stems can be affected by ‘red blotch’ (red stripes on the stem) but this does not detract from the lifespan.
  • Amaryllis can easily be stored cool, even in a chiller. The ideal storage temperature is 5-8 °C, However, do this for as little time as possible, because the plant can quickly suffer from too little light, causing the buds to dry out. If the plant is stored too warm, it will ripen more quickly, reducing the saleability.
Choice of range
The Amaryllis range is very broad. Alongside main colours such as red, pink and white, new colours are constantly being added, like salmon, lilac, green, orange and bi-coloured varieties with stripes or edges. There are varieties with single and double flowers. Bulbs with a wax or felt coating that the consumer doesn’t have to do anything to are very popular. Do stress that it requires patience: it takes a few weeks for a bulb to start growing. An Amaryllis in a pot develops slightly faster.
How to identify the various cultivars: 
Galaxy Group, single-flowered, flower diameter larger than 16 cm
Diamond Group, single-flowered, flower diameter 12-16 cm
Colibri Group, single-flowered, flower diameter less than 12 cm
Double Galaxy Group, double-flowered, flower diameter larger than 16 cm
Double Diamond Group, double-flowered, flower diameter 12-16 cm
Double Colibri Group, double-flowered, flower diameter less than 12 cm
Spider Group, single-flowered, little or no overlap of bracts
Butterfly Group, single-flowered, slightly oval
Trumpet Group, single-flowered, long trumpet-shaped flowers
Care tips for consumers
  • Amaryllis can tolerate both dark and light positions, as long as it’s reasonably cool.
  • Do not allow the soil to dry out, but do not have standing water either. Bulbs with felt or wax will flower without water, but should not be too warm, otherwise the flowers will dry up.
  • There’s no need to feed, since the nutrients are already in the bulb.
Display tips for Amaryllis
Amaryllis is a real winter bloomer with a classic December/January vibe. Place various sizes and different colours together, or show modern ways of using the plant. Kokedama, lying in a bowl, on a bulb stand or in a terrarium – it’s worth showing what else can be done with the plant apart from just having it flower in a pot.

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Haggis uses most power when cooking St. Andrew’s Day favourites

 It takes 32kWh of energy to prepare a ‘St Andrew’s Day feast’, the equivalent of powering an LCD TV for six weeks

  • National favourite haggis uses the most energy to cook of all dishes analysed
  • New research conducted by Scottish Gas looked at how much energy it takes to make Scotland’s most-loved foods
  • Having a smart meter can help you be more energy savvy during celebrations, and Scottish Gas has installed more than 35,011 smart meters across homes in Edinburgh

St Andrew’s Day is an occasion to celebrate everything Scottish, with music, dancing and (most importantly) food at the heart of all festivities.

New analysis carried out by Scottish Gas has discovered that it would take 32kWh of energy to cook a ‘St Andrew’s Day feast’, including firm favourites such as haggis, stovies, cock-a-leekie soup and cullen skink.

In fact, the energy used to prepare the celebratory spread could power an LCD TV for six weeks, a games console for two weeks and an energy saving light bulb for three months.

National dish haggis was revealed as the item that uses most power to cook of all the dishes analysed, needing 7.8 kWh of energy, closely followed by favourite accompaniment ‘neeps and tatties’, which uses 6.3kWh.

Those with a sweet tooth will be happy to know that desserts use the least amount of energy to prepare, with shortbread and cranachan needing just 1.5kWh and 0.3kWh respectively.

The energy profile of a St Andrew’s Day feast:

Dish Energy needed to prepare (kWh) The equivalent to
Haggis 7.8 Running a laptop (plugged in) for more than 5 days
Neeps and tatties 6.3 Powering a freezer for more than a day
Stovies 6 Running a washing machine for half a day
Scotch broth 5 Using a microwave for 4 hours
Cock-a-leekie soup 3.6 Using an iron for 3 hours
Cullen skink 1.6 Powering a Wi-Fi router for more than 11 days
Shortbread 1.5 Powering an alarm clock radio for more than 30 days
Cranachan 0.3 Powering a cordless phone for over 5 days

Smart Energy Expert, Stephen Cosgrove, who installs smart meters around Edinburgh for Scottish Gas, said: “St Andrew’s Day sees Scots and Scots-at-heart come together to celebrate our national day.  A big part of that is enjoying food that showcases the very best of Scottish culture, so it’s interesting to see how much energy traditional dishes use to prepare.

“Monitoring your energy use may be the last thing you’re thinking about during the festivities, but having an understanding of how much power you’re using when cooking can help to reduce your energy use.

“Having smart meters installed for free can help, too. They automatically send meter readings to your energy supplier so you don’t have to. And they come with a smart energy monitor that shows you how much energy is being used, in pounds and pence, in near real time.”

Scottish Gas has installed more than 415,000 smart meters across Scotland. 

Join the millions of people across Britain enjoying the benefits of smart meters. To find out more visit: www.scottishgas.co.uk/smart

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