From Amaryllis bulb to plant: complete guide!

Last week we met Amaryllis in the article on special gifts to give at Christmas, and as we promised, here we are again in an article dedicated completely to these wonderful autumn bulbs!

Eat an Amaryllis bulb

Today we learn how to grow a beautiful Amaryllis flower from the bulb in 5 very easy steps.

It’s areally nice activity to do with the kids because during the Christmas holidays or in any case in a short period of time, they will be able to observe the development of a bulb from start to flower, thus gradually seeing nature’s work.

Furthermore, the Amaryllis is a Spectacular and colorful flower which always makes a beautiful display in homes! Rarely do you find plants that are so easy to grow and have such showy flowers: there are so many patterns and colors, the ones you can buy on our site range from red, to pink, to white.

1. Choosing the Amaryllis bulb

We always start from the choice of the bulb, lending pay close attention to dimensions. With a bulb that is too small you will obtain less vigorous plants with fewer blooms, so it would be best to start from a size of 8/10 cm in diameter.

When you buy the bulb you need to make sure that it is firm to the touch and that it has no soft or, worse, rotting areas.

If it is not possible to plant it immediately, even better store it in a cold placewhose temperature is around 5-10°C to prevent it from being irreparably damaged.

2. Choose the pot in which to plant the Amaryllis

An important choice when talking about the care of Amaryllis is the choice of vase, the advice is to pay attention above all to two aspects:

1. size of the vase
   Amaryllis like to be a bit cramped, so you need to look for a vase that leaves about 5 cm of edge between the widest part of the bulb and the upper edge of the vase;
2. type of vase
   you can use whatever you prefer, although we recommend terracotta pots: a perfect mix of aesthetics and weight (a very important aspect to ensure that the plant can develop without losing its balance).

Drainage holes in pots

Every vase, even the most beautiful one you can have, is absolutely fine drilled and accompanied by a saucer. If you have an unperforated vase in your hands, don’t worry, arm yourself with glass drill bits and carefully create the necessary holes.

3. Substrate

Substrate drainage is always important but, when dealing with bulbs, this importance is even greater.

As always, we offer you our One plus, draining soil enriched with mycorrhizae.

If you are dealing with a rather poor substrate, it is possible to supplement it by using 2 or 3 parts of the soil together with 1 part of perlite, pumice, lapillus or another coarse material that promotes drainage.

4. invaded

Another important phase is that of potting the Amaryllis bulb, which must emerge ½ or 1/3 of the bulb above the ground.

The fundamental thing is that the shoulder and neck of the bulb should never be buried.

To make the most of the potting, it is necessary to place a little earth on the bottom of the pot, making the necessary attempts to ensure that the bulb is positioned correctly.

In the end leave about three centimeters of space between the soil and the top of the potthus creating an empty edge that will contain the soil and water during wetting.

5. How to water the Amaryllis bulb

To water the Amaryllis bulb that has not yet sprouted, it is important to let the soil dry to an approximate depth of 8-10 cm. Then it will be sufficient to irrigate when the first 2 cm are dry.

Caring for Amaryllis

Amaryllis are sun-loving plantstheir ideal position is therefore immediately in front of the sunniest window.

Correct lighting is essential for Amaryllis, as the lack of light could result in weak, fragile leaves and their falling.

Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) not flowering: causes and remedies

If yours Hippopotamus it doesn’t produce flowers, don’t worry: it’s a common problem and can almost always be solved with the right care. One of the most frequent causes is a bulb too small or depleted. In these cases the plant develops many leaves but not flowers; it is important to make sure the bulb is firm and well formed and continue to fertilize it after flowering to «recharge» it and stimulate floral production the following year.

Another reason for Failure of Hippeastrum to flower it’s there lack of vegetative rest. If the plant always remains in vegetation, without ever stopping, the flowers do not form. In this case, a period of is required 8-10 week rest in a cool (12-15°C) and dry place, which allows the bulb to accumulate energy for the next flowering.

Even the light plays a fundamental role: during the growth phase, the plant must receive full lightpreferably outdoors from spring to late summer, to develop robust leaves and provide energy to the bulb. THE’excess or deficiency of water it can instead weaken the plant: the soil must remain slightly moist during growth and almost dry during vegetative rest.

Finally, also the vase affects flowering. If the bulb has too much space, it produces many roots but few flowers. Hippeastrum prefers to be in a pot with just enough space, with about 2-3 cm of free space on the sides, so that it can concentrate on flowering rather than root growth.

To get flowers every year, it is important to follow the correct cultivation cycle: After winter or spring flowering, cut only the flower stem, leaving the leaves intact. Grow the plant as house plant or outdoors in spring-summer, fertilizing every two weeks. At the end of summer, gradually stop watering and move the plant to a cool place. After the 8-10 week rest period, return the Hippeastrum to warm weather and resume watering. In this way, the flower will appear before the leavesensuring abundant and regular flowering every year.

Amaryllis flowers

Amaryllis usually generate flower stems first and then comes the growth of leaves, but it is possible, in some cases, for both to appear at the same time.

Each bulb will give life to at least one stembut many times two will grow (especially if you start with one large bulb)! Each stem typically produces 4-6 huge flowers, so even with just one stem you can have a beautiful, colorful plant.

Prolong the life of Amaryllis flowers

Taking care of the ideal development of Amaryllis flowers requires some extra attention, but nothing difficult! It’s important regularly vary the orientation of the plant as it grows. Since the flower stem tends to bend towards the window quite quickly, when you observe that the stem is reaching the window, it is advisable to rotate the plant 180 degrees so that the stem realigns.

When the flower buds begin to open, the plant should be protected from direct sun, this will prolong the life of the flowers.
As the flowers wither, it is advisable to cut them, proceeding to remove the entire stem. However, once the plant has finished flowering, it is necessary to avoid removing the leaves, so that the plant can continue to grow them for several months before inducing a period of dormancy.

Frequently asked questions about Amaryllis

Is it necessary to soak the Amaryllis bulb in water before planting it?

It is not necessary to immerse the Amaryllis bulb in water before proceeding with planting, unless at the time of purchase the bulb and roots seem very dehydrated. In this case it is possible to immerse the roots and the base of the bulb in a bowl of warm water for a few hours before planting it.

When to plant Amaryllis bulbs?

If you want to enjoy flowers during the holiday season, plant the bulb in the ground about 6-12 weeks before Christmas. Times may vary based on growing conditions, such as light and temperature.
If you want to speed up the rate at which your plant blooms, providing heat from below may be the key. It can be placed on a propagation mat (available on Amazon) or simply on top of a radiator, provided the plant is still in a sunny position.

Do Amaryllis flower every year?

Yes! By ensuring the Amaryllis plant receives the right care, these plants will return to flower year after year.

The taxonomy of Amaryllis

It is necessary to immediately make a technical premise: we are not talking about Amaryllis belladonna, they are plants that actually belong to the botanical genus Hippeastrum, native to Central and South America and which includes more than 100 species.

The history of the botanical nomenclature of these plants is a rather complex topic.

The first question concerns the correctness of the name Amaryllis L.. In 1753, Carl Linnaeus introduced the name Amaryllis belladonna as the type species of the genus Amaryllis together with eight other species in his work Species Plantarum. Linnaeus had previously worked in George Clifford’s firm between 1735 and 1737, describing the plants in his Hortus Cliffortianus in 1738. At that time, both South African and South American plants were classified in the same genus. By the 19th century, Amaryllis had become a polymorphic genus with around 50 species. In 1819, English botanist William Herbert began to separate the genus, identifying 14 species in the new genus Hippeastrum in 1821 and leaving only three species in Amaryllis. Herbert moved other Amaryllis species into new genera, contributing to the subdivision process.

Nomenclature debate

The crucial question concerns whether the original Linnaean plant is of South African (now Amaryllis) or South American (now Hippeastrum) origin. If the second option is correct, the correct name for the Hippeastrum genus should be Amaryllis, requiring a new name for the South African genus. In 1938, Johannes Cornelius Theodorus Uphof suggested that the plant was Hippeastrum equestre, described by Linnaeus the Younger in 1781-3. This proposal sparked a debate that led to a decision at the 14th International Botanical Congress in 1987. The decision states that Amaryllis L. should be a nomen conservatindum, based on a specimen of South African Amaryllis belladonna. Therefore, Amaryllis L. is considered the correct name for the South African genus, not for the South American genus (Hippeastrum).

Claim for Leopoldia

The second issue concerns whether the name should be Leopoldia. In 1819, Herbert had proposed Leopoldia as a nomen provisorium (provisional name) for the same taxon that he named Hippeastrum in 1821. Although Leopoldia was later validated (i.e., it became the correct name), this was overlooked, and instead Leopoldia, Hippeastrum was used for the New World amaryllid genus.