This is probably red blotch (by Stagonospora curtisii) I presume that these Hippeastrums had become infested with tarsonemid mites (Steneotarsonemus laticeps, bulb scale mite) in the previous season. The plants become very prone to the (opportunistic) fungal disease due to the tissue damage caused by the mites. The mite infection often spreads (slowly) from the outermost parts of the bulb to more central parts, and then the damage becomes very obvious, if not fatal (finally the bulb might turn into a black rotten pulp). The affection BUT of the flower stalks NOW absolutely fits into this scheme. Some images (close up) would be helpfull in order to exclude another other pest/disease. One single commercially grown hippeastrum bulb - COMMONLY infested with these bulb scale mites (!) introduced into a collection of Knight star lilies (as well as other receptible plants: More or less ALL amaryllids) - is apt to finally destroy the entire collection. For good reason the impact of this octopod critter is described extensively in Veronica's book (Hippeastrum -The Gardener's Amnaryllis) Accomplishing remedial actions BUT against the red blotch (red scorch) means to set the wrong priority. Hans-Werner >From: Doug Westfall <eagle85@flash.net> >Reply-To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> >To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> >Subject: Re: [pbs] Amaryllis >Date: Sun, 7 May 2006 19:01:04 -0700 > >I have a friend who has a couple of large "beds" of hybrid amaryllis. >This year, several of them have developed black places on the flower >stalks which rot through after the flowers have opened. The leaves >continue to grow and look "healthy." What is this? They have never >seen it before. > >Doug > >_______________________________________________ >pbs mailing list >pbs@lists.ibiblio.org >http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php