Sister Susan and the returned plant!

  I absolutely love sharing plants with my sister, Susan.  She has this uncanny knack for taking a withered, old stick and making it flourish and bloom within a matter of weeks.  Her yard is landscaped to perfection and I have yet to ever see a single spot untidy.  Of course, she is my only sister and sisters share everything but this is not the only reason I love sharing with her!  I have a slightly ulterior motive or a bit of method in my madness, so to speak!  You see, I found long ago that if I share something with her then my plant perishes, she is kind enough to return a rooted piece of the original plant!  Now, isn't that the nicest thing you have ever heard?  I think it is!  

  This all brings up a plant that is blooming in the yard today.  Years and years ago, Aunt Marie and Uncle Alfred shared a bulb of their precious Lily of the Nile.  Their plant grew to an unimaginable size and bloomed with the largest clusters of deep blue flowers that I had ever seen!  It was absolutely gorgeous!  When they dug a bulb for me, I was ecstatic! Mine did well and I garnered many compliments about the bloom. So I shared a rhizome with Susan!  (Spread the joy!) The came along Hurricane Katrina and my Lily of the Nile was washed to parts unknown!  I could not find a trace of the thing.  This made me sad.  Fast forward to this spring, I mentioned how I missed the plant to Susan.  She immediately made a trip to the Bayou bearing not one but three bulbs! While I never thought the things would bloom this quick (she just brought them about a month ago),  I was back to being ecstatic!  Today, the thing is blooming its best!  I love this lily!

  Now I find that the thing could possibly have a few medicinal properties that I never knew before.  It seems that the rhizomes can be used as an anti-fungal for both humans and rose bushes! (Odd combination!) The leaves promote healing and are purported to be an anti-inflammatory. The plant is being studied for use in many other instances.  Now, I have never tried any of these but, hey, if ever the need arises and I cannot acquire other anti-fungal or anti-inflammatory agents, I can always turn to the plant!  Maybe...I guess I had better research this a bit more!  Still, if scientists can find a use for the Lily of the Nile, I am all for it!  Me?  I will just enjoy the beauty of a plant originally given to me by my aunt and uncle and once lost, replaced by my sweet sister!