Blog: My Amaryllis

My amaryllis are blooming – I have 6 plants and they are all so beautiful.  They are so tall and so steadfast. They remind me of my painting of the General Sherman Tree. 

But the really neat thing about these plants are that they are the shape of a star and they are red.  Brilliant, brilliant red.  I have been swamped with getting ready for the Kenosha show but I just had to take some pictures to paint later of these wonderful, happy, delightful, gorgeous plants.   

As I was writing this I asked myself, "What is the symbolism of the Amaryllis plant?" This is what I found – no wonder I love this plant.

• These stunning flowers are believed to mean pride, strength and determination as they stand tall above all other winter blooms. Amaryllis is also a Greek name which means 'to sparkle'. 
• Red amaryllis is the most classic variant of this bloom. It symbolizes love, attraction, and passion. Therefore, it is perfect for giving to a romantic partner. However, keep in mind that in some places, it is simply a symbol of beauty, and in others, like China, it symbolizes good luck.
• The amaryllis commonly means determination, beauty, and love. The Victorians associated amaryllis with strength and determination because of their height and sturdiness. Amaryllis can also mean success, and are commonly given as gifts of hard-won achievement. 
• The name of this beautiful flower comes from the Greek word “Amarullis”. This word meant splendor or sparkling, which is self-explanatory of why this flower got such a name. There is even a literary base to the name of the Amaryllis flower and that is the story about nymph Amaryllis from a poem written by Virgil. In this dramatic poem, the beautiful nymph decided to show her love to her gardener Alto in a very strong way, and she did that by piercing her heart with a golden arrow. She pierced her heart for a month every day, at his doorstep to get him to notice her.