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Written by Mousumi P., Somerset County Rutgers Master Gardener
With its vibrant colors of reds, whites, and even pinks and peaches, Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) aptly comes from the Greek word amarysso meaning “to sparkle”. Although Amaryllis are usually thought of as a winter or holiday flower, this commercially popular bulb is a hybrid originating in the warmer climates of Central and South America.
Some things to consider when growing Amaryllis bulbs-
-Amaryllis bulbs sold commercially have already gone through a necessary dormant period
-Select a bulb larger in size for more blooms; free of mold, decay or injury and with bright green new emergent growth
-Select a narrow container with its diameter being ~1 inch wider than the widest part of the bulb and 2x as tall as the bulb
-Ensure container has good drainage holes to avoid rotting
-Plant bulb pointy side up and cover with potting soil leaving 1/3 of the top of the bulb visible
-Water to keep moist and drained
-Place in a sunny location for direct sunlight; Once blooming, move into indirect light as lower temperatures will lengthen blooms
-When blooms have finished, cut back flower stalks but leave foliage as they produce energy for reblooms and fertilize using a standard houseplant fertilizer with high phosphorous content
– For future bloom cycles, initiate the dormant period moving plant into cool (40-50 deg F). Do not water and allow leaves to yellow and wither away
-After the bulb has rested 6-8 weeks, new growth will emerge signaling the bloom process to begin again.
A healthy Amaryllis can have many blooms over multiple growth cycles.
Source-
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/amaryllis-care
https://extension.umn.edu/houseplants/amaryllis#selecting-bulbs-858660