Guide to Growing Amaryllis Bulbs
With this Guide to Growing Amaryllis Bulbs indoors, you can recreate this favorite Holiday tradition in your own home. Amaryllis flowers feature clusters of large, colorful trumpet-shaped blooms and are common sights from Thanksgiving to Christmas. They’re remarkably easy to care for and stunningly beautiful when not much else is blooming, which is why they’re often sought out as gifts for gardeners, hosts/hostesses or coworkers during the Holidays.
What kind of plant is Amaryllis?
The flowers we call amaryllis are not true Amaryllis, but actually plants of the related genus Hippeastrum. Though they look very similar, the plants that you see around the Holidays are native to the Americas from Mexico to Argentina, while true Amaryllis are native to South Africa. Both groups of plants are members of the Amaryllidaceae Family, which also includes Allium (Garlic, Onions, Chives), Narcissus (Daffodils), Galanthus (Snowdrops) and Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile).
Several species of Hippeastrum bulbs were imported from the tropics to the Netherlands by Dutch growers in the 18th Century. Plant breeders continued to work on creating commercial hybrids, the first of which reached North America in the 19th Century.
How to get an Amaryllis bulb to flower
Getting an Amaryllis bulb to flower is as easy as placing the bulb in a pot and giving it water from time to time. Plant individual bulbs in a small-to-medium sized pot in a well-draining potting soil mix, or in a decorative container with pebbles for drainage. Leave the top third of the bulb exposed to prevent the bulb from staying too wet and rotting out. You’ll soon start to see the first signs of a bloom stalk peeking out of the top of the bulb. Depending on the variety, an Amaryllis will bloom 4-8 weeks after being potted.
Place your Amaryllis in an indoor area where it’s safe from cold air exposure and warm furnace air. Amaryllis bulbs will send up two or more blooming stalks. Water sparingly to keep the stalks from growing too tall and top heavy.
Different Containers for Growing Amaryllis bulbs
- Pot with drainage: A planter pot with drainage holes is an easy way to grow Amaryllis bulbs, as water drains away and is not allowed to collect around the bulb and cause rot.
- Vase without drainage: You can grow Amaryllis in decorative vases without drainage, though you must be careful not to let them sit in water or they will rot. Place stones or pebbles in the bottom of whatever vase or container you choose to help with drainage. Be prepared to regularly drain and refresh the water in the container throughout the bulb’s bloom cycle.
- Wax covering: Amaryllis bulbs coated in wax are easy to care for, as they have everything they need to grow already. Typically they have flat bottoms that enable them to stand upright, though once their flowers start to bloom they may need some extra support to hold themselves up.
- Sweaters: Amaryllis with sweater coverings are also covered in Wax and should be treated the same way.
How long does Amaryllis flower?
Individual Amaryllis flowers will generally last for 2-3 weeks. Each spike will grow 3-6 flowers that open at different times, making the total bloom season last for 6-8 weeks or even longer! Trim each bloom stalk after its flower is finished blooming and starts to fade.
What to do with an Amaryllis bulb after it flowers
Though Amaryllis bulbs are often thrown away or composted after one season, you can get them to rebloom for many years. Here’s what you can do to enjoy your Amaryllis again next year.
- Late Winter: After your Amaryllis has finished blooming, it will send up long blade-like leaves, called strap leaves. Trim back the spent flower stalks to the base, but leave the new foliage to continue growing.
- Spring-Summer: Treat your Amaryllis like a houseplant, placing it in a sunny indoor location. You can even place it outside when the weather warms up in late Spring.
- Fall: Around early Fall, move your Amaryllis plant to a cool, dark spot in the garage or basement, away from light sources. Stop watering it at this point and allow the foliage to die back. Now dormant, you can store the bulb for up to 3 months like this, until you are ready to start the blooming process up again for the Holiday season.
- To Bloom Again: Depending on when you want it to rebloom, you’ll want to repot your Amaryllis sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Take the dormant bulb out of its pot, refresh the potting mix, bring it back near a light source and resume watering. Then wait a few weeks to see your old friend wake up and bloom again.
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