An army of amaryllis occupies corner of Rehoboth house

Typically blooming around Christmas, an army of red amaryllis have brought their deep-red blooms to a house east of Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach.

The flowers are located on the corner of Prospect Street and East Lake Drive, on the property of Enid and Jay Lagree.

Inspired by the number of times people ask her about the flowers, Enid reached out to the Gazette. In an email May 18, Enid said the flowers spend the winter in the neighbor’s basement and, after coming out in April, they are in bloom by Memorial Day, rather than Christmas. The flowers are left in pots year-round, put in holes in the ground in the spring and then covered up with mulch, she said

“Whenever I am working outside, everyone walking or driving past our house wants to know what those red flowers are and, ‘How did you get them to do that?’” said Enid. “As we look out the windows, they also stop, point, smile, laugh and take pictures. The amaryllis bulbs are just plain fun!”

The original blooming amaryllis was a gift from a friend in 1989, which has been split and split again over the years, said Lagree. All 32 bulbs are genetically identical, she said.

“The friend who gave us the original bulb 33 years ago died a long time ago, but every time I see our army of amaryllis, I think of her and she lives on,” said Enid, adding there were more, but a few were stolen and a few more were gifted to friends over the years.

As for propagation and care of the amaryllis bulbs, Enid said they like to be pot bound, they thrive on neglect and don’t fuss too much.

“When the pot breaks because the bulb grows too big, just whack them apart with a sharp knife in the fall and repot the pieces,” said Enid. “An occasional feeding with Miracle-Gro during the summer won't hurt, and if it is really dry, watering will help.”