Garden Treasures: The Amaryllis
Brenda Hyde
January 5, 2005
The Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) is a tropical bulb that brings beauty to homes each winter. It does not need forcing like tulips or daffodils, if you purchase the bulbs, because they are ready to pot and grow when you receive them, much like paperwhites. The larger the bulb, the better! The large bulbs will usually produce 2 stalks, some more. They can grow from 18-36 inches tall in gorgeous shades of red, white, pink, salmon or several colors together.
Plant your amaryllis bulbs as soon as they arrive. A planting medium of half peat and half perlite works well for amaryllis, and a pot about 6 inches in diameter is a good size. Plant the bulb in the soil, leaving 1/3 of it above the rim of the pot. Water the soil completely after planting, but don't drench it. You don't want to let it dry out, but watering once a week or so until it starts developing leaves and buds is sufficient. Later,when it's growing, water more often. Don't allow the exposed bulb to stay wet at any point. A room temperature of about 70 degrees is fine for growing. Once the amaryllis flowers it can be placed in a cooler area--even 65 degrees or so. Place the pot in a bright location, but keep it out of direct sun when it flowers. Remove the flowers when they start to wither, and after they are all finished blooming, cut the stalk off just above the bulb.
Whether inside or outside, your amaryllis should bloom 6-8 weeks after planting.
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