An Amaryllis in a decorative container is one of the most popular live holiday decorations. These plants are known for their bold colors, easy care, and tendency to thrive indoors. Actually, though, the plants that we purchase for the holidays are from the genus Hippeastrum, and are not actually Amaryllis. They are in the same family, but there is only one species of actual Amaryllis, Amaryllis Belladonna, a native of South Africa.
Since Hippeastra are marketed as Amaryllis by nurseries and vendors, using the names interchangeably, Ill do the same here. Even the varieties that are extremely popular during the holidays, like Amaryllis Beautiful Lady and Amaryllis Apricot Sensations are technically not true Amaryllis. Fortunately, whatever you call it, its a beautiful addition to your holiday dcor, and one that is easy to take care of.
Amaryllis Care
If you are planning on getting any Amaryllis for holiday decorating, you should order them now. The bulbs take about 6 weeks to bloom. If you wait until after the first week of November to start, you may miss having your Amaryllis holiday display bloom through the actual holiday season. After they bloom, Amaryllis typically continue flowering for another seven to ten weeks.
Your Amaryllis needs to be in a warm place with direct light--the bulb needs heat (at least room temperature) to initiate stem growth. Water very lightly until the stems start to appear, gradually increasing amounts as the plant grows. (If you water too much before the roots are established, the excess moisture collects in the soil, possibly causing your bulbs to rot.) Once the stems appear, the plant should start to grow very quickly, blooming in just a few days.
Remove old blooms, and once a stem starts to droop, cut it back to the bulb. Removing these parts allows the plant to focus on new growth and to keep flowering for many weeks. After the end of spring, you can move your plant outside into the warm summer sun and let it continue to grow until fall--this plant needs a lot of light and warmth. Throughout the summer, after your Amaryllis has stopped blooming, continue to water and fertilize as normal.
Reflowering Amaryllis
At the end of the summer, start watering a little less as the plant enters dormancy. The plant needs to be brought in before frost--it is a tropical and will be killed by low temperatures. You may want to dig up the bulbs and store them in a cool, dry place during dormancy. However, its OK to leave them in the container, as long as they stay dry and cool (less than 60 degrees F).
The bulbs will bud when they are ready to bloom again. If they have not done so by the end of the dormancy period, putting them in a warm, sunny place and giving them a little water should bring them out. The bulbs need to be store for at least six weeks before coming out of dormancy; some varieties may need a lot more time. You also need to allow your plant six to eight weeks to bloom after dormancy.
Given the proper care and timing, you should have a beautiful display through the holiday season. Nothing creates that cozy feel in your home like live decorations--the huge star-shaped flowers will illuminate your holiday decor. So is it Amaryllis or Hippeastra? Whatever you call it, I call it holiday magic!
Edgar Freundlich is a garden writer for Jackson & Perkins.
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Article added to SearchWarp.com on Thursday, October 11, 2007 View other articles written by Edgar Freundlich(546)
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