Beautiful, Nhu! I was visiting the LA County Arboretum in Arcadia, CA (inland suburb of LA, probably USDA zone 9) on Saturday, where their Amaryllis belladonna plantings (likely hybrids) are beginning to bloom under the shade of Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) trees with flowers of similar colors. They also have large plantings in the open, full sun, which are just beginning to show scapes and through the years seem to consistently bloom after those in shade: http://flickr.com/photos/amarguy/… http://flickr.com/photos/amarguy/… http://flickr.com/photos/amarguy/… Upon return home, to my delight, I discovered that one of my possible 2006 Brunsvigia josephinae X Amaryllis belladonna crosses appears to be sending up a flower spike. It seems an early bloom to me, both in its seasonal timing and age from seed (6 years.) The foliage (taken last October) appears more similar to its B.josephinae seed parent, with smaller, more narrow leaves, but exhibiting the same bluish-grey coloring of its mother's foliage. http://flickr.com/photos/amarguy/… http://flickr.com/photos/amarguy/… http://flickr.com/photos/amarguy/… Ken Blackford San Diego, CA USDA Zone 10 ... possibly 11. ________________________________ From: Nhu Nguyen <xerantheum@gmail.com> ... It's time for a full blooming of these gorgeous plants in Berkeley ... http://flickr.com/photos/xerantheum/… http://flickr.com/photos/xerantheum/… http://flickr.com/photos/xerantheum/… http://flickr.com/photos/xerantheum/… http://flickr.com/photos/xerantheum/… ... Enjoy! Nhu