Flowers

think of sum some Amaryllis to your garden but are n’t sure where to bug out ? These popular plants can impart some extra color into your indoor or outdoor garden . In this clause , gardening expert Liessa Bowen examines all you demand to know about Amaryllis and their forethought .

Contents

Amaryllis growing in container with white flowers that has red stripes

One of the most popular holiday gifts is a boxed amaryllis bulb . This pop efflorescence take a capital talent for family , supporter , and neighbors , but you’re able to also address yourself to your own indoor flowering medulla oblongata . Growing amaryllis in the winter months is a very rewarding indoor gardening activeness that anyone can enjoy .

Amaryllis are very easy to maturate . They bloom readily in the average home . They are unremarkably sell as a bare bulb or pre - implant bulb in a neat potted organization . In their raw environment , grown in rude stipulation , amaryllis bloom in the spring or summer . As a holiday - theme medulla , however , they can easily be pressure to acquire and flower indoors ascontainer plant life in the winter .

You get plenty of plant when growing amaryllis ! They do n’t call for much space or a large pot . They do n’t need any special discussion or pruning . Basically , you plant a big bulb in a slightly prominent potful , give it a routine of sunlight and water , and a couple of months later , you have jumbo - sized flowers to revel in your home when it ’s still cold and frosty outdoors .

Red blooming flower with white stripes at the middle of the plant in bloom

So , if you ’ve decided to total these beautiful peak to your indoor or outdoor garden , you ’ve come to the right place . countenance ’s dig in and take a deeper looking at at Amaryllis and all scene of their care !

Amaryllis Plant Overview

Amaryllis History

genuine amaryllis plant of the genusAmaryllisare native to South Africa . There are only two love species of true amaryllis . These original aboriginal works were collected and brought to Europe in the 1700 ’s and begin to be wide cultivate . These wild amaryllis have since naturalise in parting of both the United States and Australia .

The amaryllis plants we corrupt during the holidays are actually cultivar derived from the genusHippeastrumand are native to South America .

There are about 90 species ofHippeastrumandhundreds of cultivar . These cultivars have been engender to produce a multitude of coloured , easy - to - grow bulbs which flower readily indoors .

Close-up of a flowering amaryllis plant in the sun against the background of green plants. Amaryllis is a dense inflorescence of large bright red bell-shaped flowers with protruding stamens from the centers. There are white strokes in the center of the petals, which gives the flowers a slight glow.

The uncouth name “ Amaryllis ” is typically used with all of these plants , causing some confusion about their true parentage . Both of the genusAmaryllisandHippeastrumare in the amaryllis mob ( Amaryllidaceae ) . Although these plants look very exchangeable tolilies , they are not related to the lily family ( Liliaceae ) .

Flower Colors & Blooming Profile

Amaryllis come in manycheerful colors to brighten your winter days . The most democratic bloom vividness includewhite , pink , andred , with many variation in chromaticity . There are also bi - color bloom with many attractive color combination . Some are boldly striped , while others have solid colour petals with a differently emblazon edge .

Many efflorescence are single salad days with six uniformly sized and shaped petals . Fancy diverseness may produce double bloom of youth with multiple bed of petals . blossom size is typically around 4 inches across but can be as large as a walloping 10 column inch in diam .

turgid bulb tend to produce more flowers . Typically a undivided incandescent lamp will send up a single flowering chaff , but from time to time a larger single incandescent lamp will send up two or three flowering stem . Each husk will generally have between 2 and 4 flowers , although 5 to 6 flowers per stalk is also possible .

Close-up of a blooming Amaryllis flower against a blurred background of a blooming garden. The flower is large, bell-shaped, has six oval red petals with bright white veins and a greenish throat.

Buying an Amaryllis

Perhaps you received amaryllis as a natural endowment , or perhaps you bought one for yourself . Either style , you could depend frontwards to growing your own beautiful flowers .

If your amaryllis medulla oblongata was a vacation giving , you obviously did n’t get to choose your plant . likewise , if you bought a outfit with a incandescent lamp enwrap in a corner , you plausibly did n’t get to analyse your options before buying .

If , however , you are take from a bank identification number full of bare light bulb , you have the opportunity to choose the exact bulb you want . The bigger the light bulb , the more flowers it can produce . A pocket-size lightbulb may have a single flowering stem with only two or three flowers .

A large stall in a street market with many crates full of different types of amaryllis bulbs. Bulbs are rounded with long roots and green sprouts. Above each box is a plate with the image of an amaryllis plant variety.

An additional - large lightbulb , however , may develop two blooming stalking with four or even up to six blossom per stubble . Assuming you are buy an amaryllis to enjoy its flowers , bigger bulbs will be a better choice .

You will also want tochoose a bulb that is healthy . The first thing you ’ll want to look for is a electric light that feels stiff , with no mushy spots . Check to be sure the medulla looks goodly . It will have a brown papery covering and should attend fleshy and green underneath the brown .

Avoid buy any bulbs that have mold or area that look diseased or discolor . If you could , choose one with farsighted , sarcoid roots , avoiding those with no root , melanise roots , or shriveled roots .

Close-up of a growing amaryllis bulb planted in a large white flower pot on a light windowsill. Only the upper part of the bulb is visible from the soil, from which one stem with a dense green bud and a bright green strap-shaped leaf sprouted.

Forcing Bulbs

Forcing bulbs is a way totrick a bulb into bloomingout of its natural season . Many bulbs can be forced to bloom indoors in the wintertime .

Amaryllis is a pop hale bulb , as are paper - white narcissus , daffodils , and some change ofhyacinth . Just about anyone with a gay window and a little snatch of longanimity can force bulbs indoors and bask unfermented leaping flowers in the eye of winter .

If you are go to turn an amaryllis electric light indoors , plant it anytime between October through the end of April . Plants started within this timeframe will bloom between approximately December and late June , approximately eight weeks after engraft . If you acquire a electric-light bulb but ca n’t plant it right away , hive away it in a cool , teetotal location until you are able to plant it .

Close-up of three amaryllis bulbs growing in one large beige plastic flower pot on a windowsill. Each bulb has two thick long bright green stems with oval buds and three strap-shaped green leaves.

If you have multiple amaryllis bulbs , try constitute them at different times . stagger the plantings of your bulbs by institute one bulb each week or two , you canprolong the blooming season .

you could have multiple bulbs , or multiple assortment , growing in individual pots . Each will then have a slightly different blooming period . If you have enough outer space , you’re able to have amaryllis blooming throughout the entire winter and spring !

Planting Bulbs

It isvery easy to implant an amaryllis bulbin a pot . You will need a healthy amaryllis bulb , a pot , some potting soil , water , and a lieu to set your flora while it grows . Then you ’ll need to provide a short bit of your own patience while you look the flowers .

Pot

Amaryllis like to be snug in their pot . take a pot that fits your bulb well , with approximately 1 to 2 inches of quad around the edge of the light bulb , but not more than this .

take note that amaryllis can become top - large , so select a passel with a comparatively panoptic stand ( not narrow ) or made of ceramic , or simply be prepared to shore up up your plant if necessary .

Always be sure your chosen pot has good drainage kettle of fish so the plant life will never be sitting in wet grunge . Put a saucer under the batch to catch any pee that drain out the bottom .

Close-up of a wicker basket full of amaryllis bulbs next to a dark brown plastic flower pot on a windowsill. Amaryllis tubers are round, covered with brown husks, and have long roots. One of the tubers lies on the windowsill on a wicker napkin.

Soil

If you buy an amaryllis bulb kit , you may simply apply the soil that come with the outfit . Some bulb planting kit come with peculiar soilless variety , and this is all right too .

Just be indisputable to pursue the directions that come with your works . The entire planting mental process with a kit should be very immediate and loose because everything is bring home the bacon for you .

If you have a bulb without a kit , you could use anywell - drained potting soil mixturedeveloped for bulbs or houseplants .

Close-up of an Amaryllis bulb planted in a black plastic flower pot on a white background. The soil is loose, dark brown. The bulb is round, almost completely in the soil, only the top of the bulb with greenish sprouts above the soil.

you may also mix your own grime using a world-wide potting soil , peat for moisture keeping , and pearlite for drainage . Whichever soil you resolve to employ , just remember that it should be slack , and weewee should debilitate chop-chop rather than stay soggy .

Planting

When implant your amaryllis bulb , make up attention to how much of the bulb is above and below the soil surface . You will want the ascendent and downcast ½ to ⅔ of the bulb in the soil andleave the top ½   to ⅓ of the bulb above the soil line . Do not bury the full bulb in the soil .

ensure the beginning are on the bottom and the more pointed end is erect . If the roots are relatively at large and flexile , spread them out under the bulb before filling the pot with dirt . Put a few inches of stain into the bottom of the pot .

localize the electric-light bulb on the soil and propagate out the roots across the surface . take in around the edges of the light bulb with soil so the soil level is unvarying on all sides , and agitate the soil until it ’s moderately solid . Leave about an inch of space between the soil Earth’s surface and the flange of the mess .

Top view of female hands holding a white flower pot with a planted amaryllis bulb on a white table. On the table is also a green plastic garden shovel stained with soil. The soil is compacted tightly around the bulb, the top ⅓ of which is above the soil line.

Sun

position your plant life in abright post , such as a gay windowpane . It does n’t involve full sun , but it will do best in a brightly lit location . When the heyday bud start to open , you’re able to move your amaryllis to anywhere you would wish to enjoy its colorful bloom phase .

Even if it spends a few weeks as a table centerpiece and away from the windowpane , it will continue to bloom .

If you are grow your industrial plant in a sunny window , chances are it will take off to lean towards the sunlight . In ordination to further your amaryllis to grow in a more centered and well - equilibrate way , rotate the potevery couple of days so each side of the plant gets some more direct Sunday vulnerability . This will also keep it growing upright with less of a tendency to tilt to one side .

A close-up of a blooming amaryllis by the window in the living room. Large bright red bell-shaped flowers with prominent long red stamens tipped with yellow anthers. An inflorescence of 4 large flowers is attached to a tall green stem.

Water

irrigate your bulb immediately after plant it in fresh territory . This will aid spark it to arouse from quiescency and start develop . Then water it meagrely until the plant sprouts .

At this point , your flora is still trying to wake up from its quiescency phase . Once the fresh new sprout appears and starts to develop , piddle it on a regular basis whenever the soil is dry .

Doallow the grunge to dry out more or less between tearing . If you keep your bulb too wet , it will rot . If you allow it to dry out out for too long after it starts to produce , it will get too ironic and die . A estimable rule of thumb is when you finger the control surface of the soil is dry , it ’s time to give your bulb some urine .

Close-up of female hands watering amaryllis from a yellow watering can on a white background. The plant has a bulb from which sprouted long, ribbon-like, bright green leaves. The flower pot is white.

Temperature

While growing your amaryllis bulbs indoors , the average indoor ambient temperature is normally fine for them to get . Anywhere between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for uprise and florescence .

When the plant kick the bucket back in the drop , you will need to store the bulb at a cool temperature to give it a chance to repose .

Propagation

you could grow an amaryllis from seed , but you wo n’t know the color until it blooms , and this process may take between 3 and 5 eld . That ’s a retentive clip to wait ! The quickest and most reliable elbow room to disperse an amaryllis is by growing the offset , or smaller electric light produce from the base of the “ mother ” bulb .

At the last of the growing time of year , when you remove your bulb from the pot and lay it in storage , you may comment there are a few babe bulbs cling to the home of the chief bulb . These are commencement .

Offsets can be carefully separated from the female parent bulb and plant in Modern pots of their own . It will probably take a twosome of years for them to grow bombastic enough to raise their own flowers , but when they do , the flower color and form should be the same as the mother bulb .

Close-up of a flowering amaryllis plant indoors near a window lit by the sun. The plant has two large yellow bell-shaped flowers with bright orange veins on the petals.

Pests and Diseases

The most uncouth matter you may encounter with your amaryllis is probablyoverwatering . Whether you are grow it indoors or outdoors , be certain to habituate well - drained filth and do n’t admit your works to sit in soggy soil . Constantly crocked antecedent can easily lead to ancestor rot and then bulb rot . If the beginning and bulb decomposition , there is nothing you may do to salvage your plant .

Red blotch , otherwise known as leaf scorch , is a fungal disease that attacks the leave . Red splotch get blood-red or brownish , faded - looking area along the leaf . septic foliage will finally appear deformed and withered .

The salutary fashion to prevent red blotch is to avoid buying bulb that come out damaged , shitty or discolor . If a plant develops red blotch , you’re able to seek to control by gazump bulbs in hot water ( between 104 and 114 degree Fahrenheit ) for 30 minutes . Badly - overrun industrial plant are difficult to deliver and should be cast out .

Close-up of an amaryllis bulb on a wicker circle. The bulb is white, with long brown roots below and green shoots above. A small offset grows from the base of the bulb to further propagate the plant.

Amaryllis produce indoorstypically do not suffer from insect pests . It is possible to encounter aphids , mealy glitch , or wanderer mite . If your bulb has these pests , they can often be controlled by spraying with insecticidal max .

Amaryllis bulbs that are get outdoors may be subject to more pests , including moles , rabbits , and squirrels . Planting your bulbs within protect cage can help if any of these shop mammals become a pain . snail may be an occasional problem . Typically , however , amaryllis are not bothered by many pests .

Post Blooming

One of the great questions you may have is , “ What do I do with my amaryllis after it finishes blooming ? ” Many citizenry discard the entire plant when it has finished flowering , but there ’s no want to do that ! If you desire to keep your amaryllis around , there ’s a very good chance you canget it to bloom for many yearsto fare .

Keep it Growing Indoors

After the efflorescence evanesce and die , off the dead flowerheadsto prevent any seminal fluid formation , as this will direct energy away from active industrial plant growth . you could leave the blossom stalk until it turn chickenhearted and dies back as well . If the peak straw is green , it is still facilitate the plant take in and store energy for future growth .

As long as the leaves stay immature , keep your flora growing in its gage in a sunny window . leave-taking will continue to grow for several more month . It ’s important toallow the leave to keep growingbecause this is how the plant gathers and stores energy for the next blooming cycle .

Water amaryllis on a regular basis , allowing the soil to dry slenderly between lachrymation . you could utilize a cosmopolitan - purpose houseplant fertilizer during this time to give your plant some extra nutrients . fertilise once or twice each month during the actively - growing post - flowering form , following the directions on your fertilizer .

Close-up of a damaged amaryllis leaf. The leaf is strap-shaped, hysteranthous, and green with reddish-brown spots along the edges and one large lesion in the center in the form of a white spot with a reddish-orange halo.

Dormancy

Keep the plant growing until the leafage work xanthous and die , typically sometime in early dip . At this pointedness , prune off the leaves to 2 or 3 inch above the top of the bulb .

take away the light bulb from the ground , cautiously brush off any loose filth and place the light bulb in acool , dark place for at least 8 to 10 weeks . After this dormancy phase , electric light have assemble enough energy for another maturation and flush cycles/second .

you’re able to store light bulb in a refrigerator or unheated service department or cellar for their dormancy catamenia . Note : Do not lay in amaryllis in the yield drawer with apples . Gasses released from the apples may prevent the amaryllis bulb from growing or flowering .

Close-up of withered flowers of an amaryllis plant against a grayish background. The plant has light green stems and leaves. Withered, dry, dark burgundy-brown inflorescence of five bell-shaped flowers hanging from the stem.

After storing the bulbs for at least 8 to 10 weeks , you could repot them whenever you are quick . you may use the instructions ply here for opt a potbelly , providing the right soil blend , and giving your flora enough water and sunlight for optimum development .

Plant them approximately eight week before you require them to bloom . Amaryllis bulbs may take anywhere from7 to 10 weeks from plant until blooming .

Planting Outside

If you live in clime zones 7 through 10 , it ’s possible to plant your amaryllis bulb outdoors . These constitute arecold - hardy from geographical zone 8 to 10 , although they can usually winter in zone 7 if given a hearty stratum of mulch through the wintertime calendar month . If the lightbulb are left in pots alfresco without mulch when freezing temperatures hit , they will most sure die .

If you want to try planting your amaryllis alfresco after it blooms , wait until after peril of frost . opt a cheery garden location with loose , well - drained dirt . constitute your bulb to the same depth it was planted in the pot . Just remember that before the first icing , you should cover the electric-light bulb with mulch to protect it from freeze .

If you live in a warmer climate and desire to arise amaryllis outdoors , they make a beautiful improver to the domicile garden or landscape painting . you could grow them in clusters of solid colour or mixed colors , and when they bloom , you will have a multitude of expectant and flamboyant flowers .

Close-up of three amaryllis bulbs in a wooden box on a table with a wicker circle. The bulbs are round with long white fleshy roots.

institute them with other bulb or interlard with perennials to enjoy colorful flowers throughout the turn season . get into your amaryllissurvives the winteroutdoors , you may expect it to develop a fresh new hardening of leaf the next spring . Flowers will follow by mid - summer .

Plants growing outdoors will also be subject to different pests and disease than flora growing inside . Keep an center out for snails and slug that care to banquet on the leave . In general , attempt to keep your plant in a well - ventilate area and be certain the bulb is never sit around in soggy stain , as this can bid rot , mould , and fungus .

Frequently Asked Questions

If your amaryllis grows green leaves but does n’t bloom , there could be many reasons why . Check the following possibilities that can tempt amaryllis blossom achiever :

Some endowment catalogs will deal something called “ waxed amaryllis bulb . ” These are regular amaryllis bulbs that have been dip in a colorful wax coating . They are intended to be grown without indigence of extra pots , grunge , or even water supply . The plant simply uses its stash away reserves to grow a chaff and produce a flower . Waxed bulbs are think to be used as one - time - blooming plants .

After bloom , you may chuck out the medulla oblongata . If you want to compost it , you will necessitate to remove the wax layer first . When saving the bulb to regrow , you will need to carefully absent the wax layer , with minimum damage to the medulla or rootage . If you successfully remove the wax layer , treat the bulb as draw above and store it in a cool place until the next growing season .

Top view, close-up of an Amaryllis bulb in a garden under the sun surrounded by grass. The bulb has sprouted green young strap-shaped leaves.

Red is belike the most usually encountered amaryllis colour . Red and white bicolor blooms are also quite democratic . Amaryllis also come in many shade of pink , salmon , and white . bloom may be bi - colour , striped , or edged with contrasting colors . There ’s no manner to tell which color your plant will be , just by seem at the bulb . The only way to determine out for sure is to plant it , and hold back for it to grow and bloom .

Final Thoughts

If you have the chance to grow an amaryllis in your domicile , it can be passing rewarding . Not only are thesebeautiful flower promiscuous to maturate , but they can also be saved from year to year . If you receive thispopular holiday theme plantas a talent , do n’t just countenance it go after the holiday .

With proper care , they re - flower reliably each twelvemonth and will even grow larger and procreate over time . The prime are large , showy , and long - lasting and a marvelous way of life to brighten the wintertime month .