Today’s Plant of the Day is banded amaryllis. 10 things you might not know about the amaryllis plant:
The name comes from a Greek legend about a nymph called Amaryllis, which means to sparkle in Greek, who fell in love with a shepherd who was only interested in flowers. She consulted an oracle, who advised her to go to his cottage every day and pierce her heart with an arrow. After 30 days, where drops of her Blood had fallen, Amaryllis flowers sprouted. They attracted the shepherd’s attention.
There are two species of Amaryllis in the genus sometimes known as Hippeastrum which means knight’s star.
They’re native to the tropics, but the biggest producer of Amaryllis plants for sale is the Netherlands.
They’re often red but come in many other colours too including Pink, Orange, White, Yellow, and Green and combinations of colours in one flower.
Flowers can measure up to 9 inches (23 cm) in diameter.
In the wild, they bloom in spring, but can be forced to bloom early in order to make nice Christmas presents. Dutch law states that every plant sold must have a flower bud inside so it’s guaranteed to bloom.
They can live a long time if well cared for. One lived for 75 years on a family’s windowsill.
The plant is toxic if eaten in large quantities, but there are medical benefits too. One of the substances amaryllis produces is being investigated by scientists as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
The amaryllis is the international symbol of organisations associated with Huntingdon’s disease, a genetic degenerative disease of the nervous system.
In the language of flowers, the amaryllis represents strength and determination because of their height and sturdiness.
The first in a new series! It has invading aliens, gladiator-style contests, rivalry and romance.
The six richest people in Britain decide to hold a contest to settle the question of which of them is most successful. It will be a gladiator style contest with each entrant fielding a team of ten super-powered combatants. Entrepreneur Llew Powell sets out to put together his team, which includes his former lover, an employee of his company with a fascinating hobby, two refugees from another dimension (a lonely giant and a drunken sailor), two sisters bound together by a promise, a diminutive doctor, a former Tibetan monk initiate and two androids with a history. As the team train together, alliances form, friendships and more develop, while others find the past is not easy to leave behind.
Meanwhile, a ruthless race of aliens has its eyes on the Earth. Already abducting and enslaving humans, they work towards the final invasion which would destroy life on Earth as we know it. Powell’s group, Combat Team Alpha, stumble upon one of the wormholes the aliens use to travel to Earth and witness for themselves the horrors in store if the aliens aren’t stopped. Barely escaping with their lives, they realise there are more important things to worry about than a fighting competition.
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