The amaryllis miracle: Mother Nature at her best

It's good to know that it is still possible for Mother Nature to surprise us all, and she does it without the Internet or electronic devices of any kind.

Stick with me, because this is pretty fascinating.

Most of us, having just gone through another season of Advent/Christmas/College Football, have had our fill of poinsettias, those brilliant red-leafed plants that decorate our houses and give our churches a bit of cheer.

Another plant that ranks high during the holidays is the amaryllis. You've seen them, boxed in kits containing one giant bulb, a bit of potting stuff and a plastic pot. The idea is to pot the bulb a few weeks before Christmas and then watch as a stalwart stalk emerges and erupts into trumpets of glorious color in time for ham and turkey and all the trimmings.

Well -- and here's the amazing part -- there is something new under the sun. This is the first year I or my wife have seen this mind-boggling development, and we are trying to share the news as widely as possible.

We were shopping for some of the standard amaryllis kits around Thanksgiving. We went to several shops. Most of them had an extremely limited inventory. Maybe this was the reason the prices had skyrocketed.

Disappointed, we were about to give up on having any amaryllis blossoms this year when we came across a new product called, simply, "waxed amaryllis."

I don't know all the secrets of how the waxed amaryllis bulb operates, but if you want to watch Nature perform an oratorio of amazement, check this out.

As best my wife and I can tell, this is what is involved: An amaryllis bulb is dipped in red wax, leaving the emerging bloom stalk free to roam. On the bottom of the waxed bulb is a simple wire device that allows you to put the bulb on any flat surface without actually touching.

The rest of the process is simple: Just watch.

No potting. No potting mix. No pot. No watering.

No nothing.

Just watch.

We found the waxed amaryllis concept so intriguing that we bought four of them, all at reasonable prices. All four of them produced large, brilliant red, trumpet blossoms. One stalk produced a second batch, and one of the bulbs is putting out a bonus bloom stalk right this minute.

And the bulbs haven't been watered -- or anything else -- since before Thanksgiving.

I don't know how it works. According to my good friend, Wikipedia, some manipulation of the bulb is involved before the wax goes on, but I'm not quite sure what it is, exactly.

Now, if you go running to stores that sell plants, you aren't likely to find any waxed amaryllis bulbs today. They appear to be geared to a seasonal marketplace, just like poinsettias. But I would guess that next year, as this amazing phenomenon spreads in popularity, there will be a much larger supply for retail purposes. And maybe more colors.

So, do not consider this information as being too late to do any good. Yes, the waxed bulbs are gone for now. This is a 10-month-in-advance reminder to get your waxed amaryllis bulbs for Christmas 2018.

Never let it be said I wasn't looking out for you.

Joe Sullivan is the retired editor of the Southeast Missourian.