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Amaryllis

Botanical Name
Hippeastrum
Min Zone
8
Max Zone
10
Height
1 to 2 feet
Width
9 to 12 inches
Flowers
Seasonal: trumpet-shaped, white, pink, red, salmon, rose, apricot, bicolor; 6 to 10 inches
Light
Bright, indirect light when growing indoors, dappled shade or bright shade when growing outdoors
Soil
Moist, well-drained, rich
Planting & Care
  • Bulbs should be firm and dry with no signs of injury, mold or decay
  • Select a container with good drainage to avoid bulb or root rot from excess moisture
  • Diameter of pot should be about 1 inch wider than the wides part and twice as tall as the bulb to allow for good root development
  • Amaryllis prefer to be slightly potbound
  • Potting mix should be sterile and rich in organic matter
  • Plant the bulb so that 1/3 to 1/2 remains above the soil surface
  • Plan to have a 1-inch gap from the soil surface to the rim of your pot to accomodate watering
  • Water when the top 2 inches of soil feels dry
  • Bulbs should begin to produce a flower stalk and begin blooming 6 to 8 weeks after planting
  • To prolong bloom period, keep your plant out of direct sunlight
  • After the flowers fade, carefully prune them off, taking care not to damage the main flower stem
  • Seed formation depletes the energy reserves in the bulb and will reduce future blooms
  • Remove the flower stalk only once it has turned yellow, as long as it is still green, it is producing energy for the bulb
  • Once the plant has finished blooming, move it to the sunniest location possible to allow the leaves to continue to grow and produce energy to store in the bulb
  • Continue watering regularly and fertilize monthly with an all-purpose houseplant fertilizer
  • When all danger of frost has passed in spring, you can move your plant outdoors, first in shade to acclimate it to the outside then gradually move it to a sunny location where it should receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight dialy
  • Grow as a container plant on your deck or patio, or sink the entire container into the ground for the summer, removing from the pot is not recommended
  • By mid to late summer the foliage may die back as the bulb enters dormancy
  • Bring the pot indoors before the first frost and store in a dark location at a cool 50° to 60° and do not water
  • Allow the leaves to dry and turn brown before removing them
  • Leave the pot in the dark for 8 to 12 weeks
  • Periodically inspect the bulb for mold or mildew
  • When plants begin to grow again, move plant to a sunny window, water and fertilize as above
  • Flowers usually develop in about 4 to 6 weeks from dormant bulbs
Problems
Mealybugs, red blotch, narcissus bulb fly
Varieties
  • Apple Blossom - white with red lines, pink blush, single type
  • Beautiful Lady - pale mandarin red, single
  • Valentine - white with pink veins, single
  • Susan - soft pink, single
  • Spotty - red-brown with greenish lines, small single flowers
  • Best Seller - cherry red on a short stem
  • Bouquet - salmon pink, single large flower
  • Byjou - soft burnt apricot, single
  • Cantate - milky deep red, single
  • Scarlet Baby - red, small single flower
  • Rilona - peach pink, single
  • Red Lion - dark red, single
  • Picotee - white, fine red border, single
  • Christmas Gift - white, single
  • Dazzler - white, single
  • Double Picotee - white, fine red border, double type
  • Dutch Belle - opal rose, single
  • Pasadena - red with white bands, double
  • Orange Sovereign - red-orange, single
  • Minerva - red with white bands and green throat, single
  • Germa - yellow, single
  • Lady Jane - rose pink with faint white bands, double
  • Ludwig's Goliath - bright scarlet, single

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