Every Christmas I chuckle at the floral bias that the green industry has created through the mass marketing of poinsettias and amaryllis. This year has been no different than the rest, I bought the traditional red pointsettia and received the traditional red amaryllis box set for Christmas. And as always I've been asked tons of questions about both.
The number one question is about poinsettias being poisonous. I am super glad that someone at some point put in general public's mind that pointsettias will harm your pets and children. Yes they are poisonous but you would have to eat upwards of 500 leaves to have any toxic effects and even then it is not deadly but it would make you ill, similar to food poisoning. Oh there are some many plants out there that have toxic effects if eaten, many of which are more common and are in more homes than pointsettias.
I love amaryllis bulbs as well. They are easy to grow. They come in so many wonderful colors, even though most people will stick with white or red. They really do make quite a statement. I do however have a problem with how they are mass marketed. I cringe when I scan the shelves at walmart and lowes and see yellow, green amaryllis heads poking out through the boxes sitting in a warm store. Perhaps storing the boxed bulbs in a cooled area such as a refridgerated display case is too difficult.
Not only do the stores selling these homeless amaryllis kits need improved knowledge of the bulb but the kits themselves could use improvement. It is most difficult to regulate hydration on these little fellas when the supplied pot has no drainage holes and the supplied media ultimately turns to muck. I always suggest to anyone growing from the traditional kit to poke some holes in the bottom of the plastic pot. I also suggest mixing in some potting soil with the provided media.
Sigh... I'm not sure if this will ever be resolved. Until it is I will rant about these issues every year until I am unable to rant.
