Amaryllis
October 30, 2022
The amaryllis remains one of the most popular plants around Christmas time, because they are so beautiful and so easy to grow. They are also very easy to keep year after year, and they only get better with time!
Planting and Initial Care
Named amaryllis cultivars are usually available as a bareroot bulb.
- Plant each amaryllis bulb into a 6” diameter pot with drainage holes.
- Use a free-draining potting soil such as Pro-Mix Potting Mix with extra perlite added (about 3 parts soil to 1 part perlite).
- Plant the bulb with the neck pointing upward, and the top third of the bulb exposed above the soil line.
- Water the bulb in and place the pot in front of a sunny window (no further than 3 feet away).
Allow the top 1-2” of soil to dry before watering again. Always be careful to water the soil only; don’t get water into the neck of the bulb.
Amaryllis usually start growing within 2-3 weeks and bloom 8-10 weeks after planting; normally, the flower buds appear first (which emerge as a spear shaped stalk) but are soon followed by the first leaves.
Waxed amaryllis do not require any planting or care to bloom. Simply place in front of a sunny window and the flowers will develop on their own. If you want to keep the bulb after it has finished blooming, remove it from the wax covering (it will shrink to make this easier) and pot it up as described above, then follow the aftercare instructions below.
Aftercare
It’s rewarding to keep your amaryllis after it has bloomed and grow it year after year!
- After blooming, continue watering as normal, and start fertilizing with a balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20 at half strength every week.
- It’s important not to cut the leaves off if they’re still green, even if they flop over. Use support if necessary; excessively weak and floppy leaves indicate the plant is not getting enough light.
- The flower stalk can be removed once it has turned yellow. Pinch off dead flowers at the top to prevent them from going to seed and sapping the bulb’s energy.
- By late May, once the risk of frost has passed, your amaryllis will really benefit from being moved outside into a shady location. You can leave it on the patio or sink the pot into a garden bed. Continue care as normal over the summer.
- In early to mid August, stop watering and fertilizing your amaryllis. This will eventually trigger the plant to drop its leaves and go into dormancy. Cut the leaves off once they have completely turned yellow.
- Remove the bulb from the pot and store it in a paper bag in a cool, dry, dark location until mid to late October (about 6-8 weeks).
- After the dormant period, pot up your bulb as described above and repeat the cycle!
Varieties
Santa’s Little Helper Series
- Named after Santa’s reindeer, these bulbs have been pre-chilled so they will bloom just 4-6 weeks after planting – just in time for Christmas.
- Available in several colours, including Dasher (light pink, pictured), Donner (double white), Prancer (red and white), Rudolph (red), and Vixen (deep red).
Red Lion
The classic red amaryllis, with enormous, full, blood-red flowers.
Rilona
Very large flowers in an unusual peach colour.
Samba
Big red flowers with white edges and a white stripe down the centre of each petal.
Elvas
Double flowers are white with red centres.
Barbados
Large, velvety, deep red flowers with greenish centres; unusual.
Evergreen
Novelty variety with spidery green flowers.
Exotic Star
Flesh-pink blooms with green veins.
Wild Amazone
Totally unusual trumpet shaped flowers with orange, brown, pink, and green tones.
Waxed Amaryllis and Christmas Sweater Amaryllis
These are available in several different wax colours as well as flower colours (not named varieties), or with an adorable Christmas sweater! Literally a no-fuss way to enjoy an amaryllis this Christmas, and an excellent gift.