Blooming plants are often given as holiday gifts. Thanks to Bloomakers from Waynesboro, who donated amaryllis bulb “seconds,” to the Piedmont Master Gardeners Therapeutic Horticulture program, our Master Gardener volunteers had a wonderful afternoon with the JABA clients and staff, helping them learn all about this lovely bulb plant. We arrived with the bulbs, pots and soil and the afternoon was spent helping the clients pot up the bulbs and learn how to care for them. They all went home happy, with their gifted plants in hand, anticipating lovely blooms for the holidays.
Let’s learn more…
Amaryllis bulb gifts have become a favorite for the holidays, rivaling even the poinsettia. This popular flowering bulb is great for indoor forcing during the winter months. What is there not to love about this must-own showstopper? Their spectacular trumpet-shaped blooms can be 10 inches across, atop an 18- to 30-inch-tall flower stalk. The average of four flowers are produced on each stalk, each bloom often lasting for several weeks. Whether you choose the rich deep red or the pure snow-white amaryllis, the flower will stand out from the rest of your plants.
The amaryllis belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. Its genus is Hippeastrum. Amaryllis are native to tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas. Both the bulb and the plant are poisonous.
The amaryllis can be bought as plants when in bud or in full bloom but they are also sold as waxed bulbs or often as a gift kit with the bulb, soil media, container, and growing directions. This is much more fun. The amaryllis, like all bulbs, have one thing in common that separates them from other flowering annual and perennial plants: an extraordinary self-contained food storage tissue that nourishes the plant and gives it everything it needs to bloom successfully.
Amaryllis bulbs sold in late fall or early winter should be planted when you receive them, as they have already gone through a dormancy period where they have been exposed to a certain amount of dry, cool conditions to trick or force the bulb into blooming during this time of year. They are ready to grow. Of note, because the bulbs have the self-contained food storage tissue, the waxed amaryllis bulbs do not need soil or even water to produce the fabulous flowers. After blooming, you may remove the wax coating and follow the instructions for planting the bulbs.
Selecting, planting and forcing bulbs
- When purchasing amaryllis bulbs, select large, solid, firm bulbs that show no signs of shriveling, mold or decay. The plant’s performance is influenced by both the size and the condition of the bulb.
- Select a pot that is approximately 1-2 inches wider than the diameter of the bulb and has provisions for drainage. They bloom better when actually slightly pot-bound. Select good, well drained potting soil.
- Add a small amount of potting soil in the bottom of the pot and center the pointy side of bulb atop the soil in the middle of the pot, positioned so that at least one-half to one-third of the bulb is above the surface of the potting soil. Firm additional soil around the bulb, water it thoroughly and place it in a warm, sunny spot.
- After the initial watering, allow the soil to dry somewhat before watering again. Don’t overwater as the bulb does not like to remain in wet soils, so only water when the soil surface feels dry to the touch. Watering once every 7-10 days is usually enough.
- Growth usually appears within two weeks. During flower stalk elongation, turn the pot each day to keep the flower stalk growing straight. Some may need staking.
- Flowering usually occurs within 4-8 weeks after potting and can last for several weeks. Move the plant out of direct sunlight and to a slightly cooler location when the flower buds begin to show color. This cooler temperature will help sustain a longer bloom time.
Care after flowering
After the flowers fade, cut the spent flowers from the stem and eventually cut off the flower stalks 1 to 2 inches above the bulb being careful not to damage the foliage. Flowering takes a considerable amount of the bulb’s stored energy. In order for the bulb to bloom again next season, the plant must replenish its food reserves. The strap-like leaves manufacture food for the plant. Place the plant in a sunny window and water when the soil surface is dry to touch. The amaryllis can be moved and acclimated to the outside after the danger of frost, in a place that receives morning sun preferably. Feed with a houseplant fertilizer on a monthly basis through July. Bring the plant indoors in early September.
Reflowering of amaryllis
In order to rebloom, amaryllis need to be exposed to 50–55-degree temperatures for approximately 8-10 weeks. This can be done starting in September, inducing a dormancy period by withholding light and water and storing the plant in a cool basement for 8-10 weeks. Cut off the foliage when the leaves turn brown. After the cool requirement has been met, start the growth cycle again by repotting the bulb in fresh potting soil, watering, and placing in a well-lit, warm room. If it fails to rebloom, the bulb may not have been able to store adequate food reserves during spring and summer or may not have had the adequate cool, dormancy period.
Growing the amaryllis bulbs indoors is a fun and easy way to have beautiful flowers inside during the winter months. To learn more about bulb forcing, take a look at this VCE publication, Fooling Mother Nature: Forcing Flower Bulbs for Indoor Bloom. For more information on amaryllis care after blooming, watch this video on YouTube.
And speaking of bulbs, you can help support the Piedmont Master Gardeners when you make a purchase from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, a Virginia-based gardening retailer. Learn more here.
