The Bold And The Beautiful Amaryllis
There are many plants on sale during the holiday season that I can walk away from without batting an eye. But the beautiful Amaryllis is not one of them. Not only am I unable to leave these bulbs behind, I search through the store for them as soon as they become available for purchase. Once I spot them, the hardest thing is trying to decide which one to bring home. It takes tremendous self-discipline – not to mention heartache - to buy only one. At least on each shopping trip! Hey, I’m not that disciplined.
Most people think of the legendary Poinsettia during the festive season and often overlook a plant that will display some of the most dramatic flowers you will ever have the pleasure of viewing. With proper care, the Amaryllis will boast those dazzling blooms the first year you own it and every year after that. And if you really pamper this majestic charmer, the bulb may even divide and multiply, leaving you with a gift of more Amaryllis bulbs. Lucky you...
Quite a few weeks ago, I brought home two delightful bulbs: ‘Apple Blossom’ and ‘Minerva’. Six spectacular flowers – yes six! – sprung from the single stalk of the ‘Apple Blossom’ and they burst open, within a day of each other, right before Christmas. I was further blessed when I noticed that a second stalk was beginning to emerge as soon as the first set of flowers began to fade. The new flower stalk is growing as I write. I can’t believe my good fortune with this bulb; it’s so eager to produce bloom after bloom. Furthermore, it looks like there are offshoots growing from the mother plant, which will award me with more ‘Apple Blossom’ bulbs. I don’t know which greenhouse shipped out this bulb – good quality without a doubt - but I tip my hat to them for a very successful creation. Lucky me...
The ‘Minerva’ wasn’t as hard-working. It only produced two flowers, which were beautiful but short-lived. I’ve yet to see another flower stalk emerge, although there are hints of an offshoot. In addition, the flowers did not look anything like what the picture on the box promised. They resembled more the look of the ‘Apricot Sensation’, the ‘Orange Souvereign’ or a washed-out ‘Red Lion’. But not the impressive and stylish Minerva I’d been guaranteed when I purchased the irresistible Amaryllis kit. I expected bright, deep red blooms that featured a white star in the heart of each flower. Instead I ended up with a plant whose blossoms didn’t bear any resemblance to the picture on the box they’d been sold in. Something definitely went wrong – the mixing of bulbs - in the packaging department. It was a disappointment but not the end of the world. The ‘mystery’ bulb managed to produce gorgeous specimens, albeit too few. I just hope it produces some more before its flowering period comes to an end so I’ll at least have been compensated for the incorrectly-packaged product with abundant blooms.
Easy To Grow And Fun To Watch
Amaryllis bulbs have become readily available over the years and easier to grow as time progresses. My first experience with this plant was back in the early 90s. At the time I also did outdoor gardening so I had searched for and discovered a company that sold bulbs (indoor and out) and houseplants through the mail. As I flipped through the company’s latest catalog, I ran across a page featuring the glorious Amaryllis in full bloom. I’d never seen this plant before nor did I know of it. But the full colour photographs, the persuasive text swearing that I too – a humble novice – could make this bulb bloom inside my home sold me on the idea. I ordered the ‘Red Lion’ and eagerly waited for my shipment.
Within a short period, my much-awaited Amaryllis bulb arrived. I followed the instructions, potted it up accordingly, placed it in a bright location and added a little water. Within a few short days, the tip of a flower stalk began to timidly emerge. That humble manner was quickly replaced by boldness because it seemed that from then on that flower stalk literally grew in leaps and bounds right before my eyes. Each day I swore that another inch had sprout. It may very well have.
Amaryllis plants develop very rapidly and it’s fun to watch their progress from one day to the next. And that’s what I did. Every day I would check up on my plant’s growth, fascinated by the speed of progression and the plant’s eagerness to bloom with very little help from me. Aside from placing it in a bright location and watering it when necessary, the Amaryllis didn’t need anything else from me. When the flowers finally opened, I was in awe. The picture in the catalog didn’t do them justice; they were even more beautiful than I’d expected. Amaryllis flowers are truly one of the most magnificent sights to behold.
Back then, Amaryllis bulbs were not as readily available to purchase locally. Today, as soon as the Christmas holidays begin to approach, bulbs are sold everywhere – from florists to supermarkets to big box stores. They are typically sold in ready-to-plant kits that include a bag of soil and a plastic growing pot together with the bulb. There are four common choices here in my own area – Red Lion, Minerva, Apple Blossom and White Christmas (also labeled as ‘White Lion’). Each one is beautiful in its own way, and although I do love white flowers, they’re not my primary choice during the winter when I desire much more vibrant shades.
The packaging is always extremely attractive, with a full-colour photo of the Amaryllis in bloom, making it very hard to resist. Aside from providing you with an indoor project, these complete kits also make a great gift for friends and family members, especially during the winter months when a touch of nature and the brilliant hues of flowers are sought after to counter the grayness of the season. I’ve also found that because of their simplicity, Amaryllis bulbs are a wonderful way to introduce children to gardening. Not only are they delightful to grow at home, they are also a fun project in a classroom.
During my recent bulb-buying fever, I visited as many Amaryllis-selling retail stores as I could manage to make sure I didn’t miss anything new and exciting, anything different from the four common bulbs I listed above. Nearly every place I journeyed to offered the same bulbs in the same kits. The only exception was Wal-Mart that sold mini versions of these plants alongside the regular selection. I’d never seen ‘mini’ Amaryllis kits before and had no idea what to expect, so I didn’t purchase any. After a little research, I discovered that they are not very common and that they are absolutely adorable, smaller versions of the larger plants, which would suit someone like me – someone with limited growing space – perfectly! The next time I visited Wal-Mart, eager to pick up a couple, there weren’t any left. They had been picked up by other consumers without any of the hesitation I felt. Too bad for me...
Every year, new varieties are being introduced, making this beautiful plant that much harder to resist. Amaryllis bulbs were once available in only four basic shades: red, pink, white and red and white stripes. As time progresses, many interesting, unusual and unique flower shapes and colours have been introduced. The range of colours now includes red, orange, pink, white, salmon, yellow, striped or variegated. With such an assortment of splendor, it’s difficult to settle for just one bulb. And although I prefer to shop locally for my plants in order to hand select them, avoiding online purchases as much as possible, if you are a devoted online shopper, you will have many more bulbs to choose from. Retail shops will only offer the basic options – 2, 3 or 4 different flower colours - but online shops will offer you an abundance of diversity!
As I wait for my profuse bloomer to open its new set of buds, let me share with you the information I have about potting up your new bulb, helping it to bloom and caring for it after the flowers fade.
Caring For The Beautiful Amaryllis
If you can’t grow a single other thing, you will be able to grow an Amaryllis. It’s foolproof. Three simple ingredients - water, warmth and sufficient light - get this tropical beauty to start developing roots, stalks and leaves in no time.
The first step in your Amaryllis-growing project is bringing home a healthy bulb. Make certain you choose one that is firm to the touch, similar to choosing a good onion. Bulbs that are too soft may be rotten – a definite failure. Don’t hesitate to open up a kit to check out the bulb; you don’t want to end up with a dud. How will you be able to determine whether you are making a healthy purchase if you can’t feel the merchandise? Pick it up out of the box, place it in the palm of your hand and give it a small squeeze (not too hard!). It should feel firm and hardy.
The choice bulb should be clean and disease-free. There should be no signs of shriveling, decay, scars, nicks, mold, mildew, visible damage or offending odors. If the bulb is dried up, wet, squishy, light in weight or obviously unhealthy, move on to another one. During their selling season, there will be plenty to choose from, especially if you pick one up as soon as they arrive at the stores. Don’t just settle for any bulb, choose a healthy one.
In the case of Amaryllis ‘bigger is better’ so pick the largest bulb you can find! Smaller bulbs are usually young – one to two years old – and will only produce one flower stalk. On the other hand, the larger, older bulbs can easily produce two or three stalks. With a plump bulb, the results will be richer and longer-lasting. My ‘Apple Blossom’ Amaryllis - that started working on its second flower stalk before the first one began to fade - can easily be classified as a member of the ‘bigger bulb’ club.
Avoid buying bulbs that have already started to grow significantly at the store - unless you are a real softie for sympathy purchases. The ones that have begun to sprout before being bought are quite often stressed, which will lead to smaller, lesser flowers; occasionally those plants will fail to produce. Growth should be extremely minimal (the bud tip should barely be showing) or none at all. There will likely be some dried roots and signs of leaves having been cut off, which is all normal.
Once you’ve made your purchase and transported it safely to your home, pot it up in the container that was in the kit or select your own. I personally don’t like the cheap plastic pots that come with the kits. For one thing, Amaryllis can become very top-heavy so it’s wiser to choose a container with a little more weight instead of the flimsy one the plant is sold together with. Make sure that the pot you choose has drainage holes, is wide enough to allow 1” to 1½” of space around the bulb and large enough to accommodate the extensive root system. Ideally, there should be 2 – 3 inches available below the bulb.
Plant the bulb up to its neck in quality soil that is sterile, light and very well-draining; excellent drainage is
imperative to avoid rot. I always leave 1/3 or 1/4 of the bulb’s top exposed. Pat the soil down to make sure that the
bulb is snug and secure in its new home. Water thoroughly and set the plant in a sunny spot (indirect) in temperatures
between 21°C (70°F) to 23°C (75°F). Do not water the plant again until you see obvious signs of growth, which generally take about three weeks. Once new growth begins, water thoroughly when necessary. Keep the soil moderately moist. Do not allow it to dry out completely and be careful of over-watering.
The flower stalk is usually the first to appear but it’s not unusual for leaves to grow before or even during the initial stage. As a general rule, the period from potting to flowering takes between 7 – 10 weeks. Once the flower stalk begins to make an appearance, sit back and enjoy the show (not literally, of course) as it grows taller each day. Make sure to rotate the plant every now and again to assure that it grows straight. An Amaryllis tends to bend towards the light source.
The growing bud will begin to swell and one day it’ll open up to expose the glorious flowers that have been under development. Within a few short days after that, each flower will make its grand entrance, gracing your home with its magnificence. Depending on the size of your bulb, you may be awarded anywhere from 4 – 6 flowers. And if you’ve picked up a top grade bulb, you’ll get to do it all over again with a second flower stalk, maybe even a third. Keep stakes on hand to stabilize top-heavy plants. It’s not unheard of for the plants to topple over or for flower stalks to bend and break. Remove each flower as is fades to prevent seed formation, which depletes nutrition from the bulb. You want your plant to concentrate its energy on blooms not seeds.
When the flowers are opening, and especially while in bloom, keep your Amaryllis away from direct sun and taxing heat sources such as air vents and fireplaces. Direct light and high temperatures will shorten the flower life while cooler areas away from the sun’s rays will prolong it.
It’s that simple.
Make sure you take a lot of photographs through every stage of development, but especially during the flowering period. The growth period is quite an amazing thing to witness and document.
And once the blooming period is over, there’s no need to throw out that bulb. With the right care, you can get your Amaryllis to bloom again next year. It may even be worth your while to keep that Amaryllis bulb instead of throwing it out every year. The longer you have your Amaryllis bulb, the bigger it will get and the more flowers it will produce. For those reasons alone, it’s worth keeping it around.
Are you up for the challenge?
Okay, here we go...
Getting Your Amaryllis To Bloom Again
When the blossoming period is officially over (trust me, you will know when that happens), cut the flower stalk down completely (right down to the top of the bulb) but do not touch the leaves that have grown. The leaves are necessary in preparing the bulb for the next performance. It is those leaves that absorb nutrients and deliver them to the exhausted bulb, replenishing all the depleted food, therefore it’s those leave that you will now cater to. From here on in, you will treat your Amaryllis like any other foliage houseplant.
Water and feed your plant regularly to promote vigorous leaf growth, which in turn will manufacture enough food to reenergize the tired and noticeably shrunken bulb. Use a standard liquid fertilizer for houseplants at half the recommended strength a couple of times a month. During this period, make sure that you provide plenty of light for your plant to gather the right amount of energy. A sunny location near a window or on a windowsill is ideal.
When August arrives, stop fertilizing and gradually reduce watering. When the month of September approaches stop watering completely to force the bulb into dormancy (Amaryllis bulbs perform much better when they enjoy a substantial resting period). Allow the leaves to yellow and die, and cut them off to an inch or two above the bulb. By the end of September, no later than the beginning of October if you want flowers by Christmas (all the leaves should have died back by then), set the bulb in its pot in a dark, cool (not cold) location for 6 – 8 weeks. A corner of the basement or a shelf in the garage is a good storage option as long as the temperature remains fairly steady between 10°C (50°F) - 12°C (55°F). During this important period, your plant is snoozing and gathering energy for its upcoming presentation.
(Note: You can also remove the bulb from the soil, clean it and store it in the crisper of your refrigerator. Do not store it in a refrigerator that contains apples, which can damage the bulbs! Storing bulbs in the fridge is recommended by many reputable growers. However, I have never tried it myself and don’t know just how effective it is. In addition, you don’t necessarily have to force the bulb into dormancy. The leaves of an Amaryllis bulb begin to yellow on their own after 5 – 6 months of normal growth, usually in early fall. Forcing the bulb into dormancy is typically done in order to manipulate the flowering period, which for most people is desirable during the holidays. If you don’t care when the flowers emerge, you can allow your plant to handle its own natural cycle without your interference. If you do want to control the flowering period, plant the bulbs 8 weeks before you’d like them to bloom.)
After a few weeks of uninterrupted and much-appreciated rest, it’s time for your plant to wake up. Move the bulb back into a warm, bright spot in your home and encourage the growth cycle to begin by watering. From this point on, repeat the process that you would with a newly-purchased, newly-potted bulb. Before you know it, the tiny green tip of a flower stem will appear.
Once that promising stalk emerges, prepare for another spectacular performance.
Amaryllis And Hydroculture
I can’t stress enough what a spectacular choice this plant is for the hydroculture system. Forget the ‘grow Amaryllis in water’ kits that are available in stores. They’re too high-risk for rot. How often will you change the water to avoid root rot? Will you bother to change it at all? Will you remember? Will you even care to? Will you add too much water, leaving the bulb to soak in it until it becomes soft and rotted?
Save yourself that headache and go directly to hydroculture if you want to ditch the soil completely. Amaryllis bulbs – all bulbs in fact – love hydroculture! They adopt the method easily, grow wonderfully in it, there is no danger of rot and there is no possibility of over-watering - ever. You have my word. My Amaryllis bulbs are always grown in the hydroculture method. I wouldn’t have it any other way. And neither would my plants.
Get your Amaryllis growing with hydroculture!
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