Botanical confusion

I am really impressed with the amaryllis flowers, so decided to take a “proper” photograph with the camera. I also undertook some investigation, as I wanted to know where the wild ancestor of these plants came from.

Which is how I came across some botanical confusion. There are two species of amaryllis, natives of South Africa. But the “ amaryllis” bulbs we buy in the garden centres for winter flowering aren’t actually amaryllis. They are cultivars created by cross-breeding some of the 90 or so species of Hippeastrum, native to the Americas from Argentina up to Mexico and the Caribbean. All very confusing, but interesting too.

More confusion. J has always wanted “winter twiggery”. We bought a bunch of twigs from a nursery for a Christmas display - holly, red berried branches, pussy willows and bare branches. Surprisingly the branches have developed leaves and roots, and two specimens have unexpectedly sprouted clumps of attractive flowers. See extra. No idea what these are, although my money is on Cornus/dogwood.

It’s been a very busy day for J in hospital, but hopefully helpful. And it was really nice of a neighbour to cook me a meal to have between my afternoon and evening visits to the hospital.