This morning I said to myself, “Self,” (and I knew it was me, because I recognized my voice, and I was wearing my pajamas) “today is going to be a good day! I’m going to write about the amaryllises.”
Well, that’s not exactly how it went. I guess I can rise and shine…just not at the same time.
At Christmas time you can find amaryllis plants just about everywhere —in the big box stores, in little box stores, and grocery stores somewhere between the canned peaches and Bisquick.
After New Year’s, many people are ready to undeck the halls and toss their seasonal blooming houseplants. Instead, keep the holiday spirit alive. When your amaryllis has finished flowering, try to get it to bloom again.
Or, do nothing and just allow the plant to do its thing throughout the year. But where’s the fun in that?
These tender perennials are sold individually or as part of a kit containing the bulb, a heavy pot, and some planting mix.
Some garden centers offer larger bare bulbs that give you more choice of variety and sizes. The larger the bulb, the more flowers the plant can produce.
The flowers can be red. white, pink, salmon, apricot, burgundy, or combinations of them. They can grow 18 to 36 inches tall, 6 to 8 inches wide, and bloom in the spring and winter.
And, as every plant enthusiast would say, “They are super easy to grow.” In this case, they would be right.
Caution: Just as with most bulbous plants they are toxic to people and pets. The plant contains lycorine, which may have harmful gastrointestinal effects if ingested.
Through the spring and summer, you can grow the amaryllis as a foliage plant. Use a time-release, high-phosphorous fertilizer (e.g., 10-20-15) when the flower is blooming.
In Poway and Rancho Bernardo, these bulbs are hardy outdoors. They can stay in containers or be transplanted into the ground about eight weeks before you want to see them bloom.
They like six+ hours of sunlight and temperatures between 60° to 70°F. Only water when the top inch of soil is dry, taking care not to get water on the neck of the bulb. If the stalk starts to lean, put a stake next to it.
They hate Jack Frost and will not survive, so bring them indoors and stop watering.
According to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, they need to dry out to induce a period of dormancy (until fall). Store the pot in a dark place around 50°F, then move it to a warmer (70 to 75°F) location and water in mid-November, for a Christmas bloom.
They produce flowers between late winter and mid-spring. Once the blossoms have faded, cut off the flower stalk to about 2 inches from the top of the bulb. Keep the strappy foliage intact so the bulb can absorb energy, and replenish the nutrients it lost during flowering.
According to Wright State University; https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu, “Although caffeine is found naturally in many plant species and can be used on plants to manage pests such as slugs, snails, bacteria, and birds, this study concluded that caffeine stunts root development by reducing protein production.”
Anyway, as long as it’s green, the main stem will promote photosynthesis and continue to absorb light and provide nutrients to the bulb.
Remove the bulb from the soil, then store it on its side in a cool, dark area to rest for 8 to 10 weeks.
In early November, to induce flowering in time for next Christmas, soak the bulb’s roots in lukewarm water for 10 hours to rehydrate them. Then put a layer of soil in the bottom of a pot and position the bulb so the top sticks up above the rim of the pot.
Place the pot in a warm, sunny area and water. Allow the soil to dry between waterings. Then presto…expect beautiful, lily-like blooms in 10 minutes or 10 weeks, whichever is later.
The plant’s main parasite is the lily borer. Red blotches on the outside of the bulb signal a fungus disease.
Some other problems include spider mites, mealybugs, slugs, and snails. Treat these pests with insecticide soap, horticultural oil, or a systemic fungicide.
Greek mythology brings us the story of Amaryllis, a love-struck maiden who longed for the handsome but cold-hearted Alteo. Desperate to win his love, she pierced her heart with a golden arrow and then visited his cottage daily, shedding drops of blood along the way.
On the 30th day, beautiful scarlet flowers bloomed along the path. Alteo was enamored, Amaryllis’ heart was healed, and our favorite holiday bloom got its name. (This Hallmark Channel happy ending was brought to you by Penn State Extension.)
That is until it was reclassified in the 1800s under the genus Hippeastrum.” Source: gardeners.com
And…here we go again…our friends, the plant wizards are at it again. (By the way, eye-rolling counts as cardio.) I’d hate to be in the same room as those botanists and taxonomists.
For many years there was confusion among botanists over the names Amaryllis and Hippeastrum. Most amaryllis varieties grown today are not “true amaryllis;” they are instead part of the genus Hippeastrum, which is native to South America. The true Amaryllis are native to South Africa. They are also known as belladonna lilies, despite not being true lilies.
Bulbs sold as amaryllis and described as “ready to bloom for the holidays” belong to the genus Hippeastrum.
As we all know by now, a botanist is someone who solves problems you didn’t know you had in a way you can’t understand.
Amaryllis plants could use repotting every three or four years.
Wax-dipped bulbs require no watering, no soil, and no potting. Just place the bulb in a well-lit room and the flower stalks should emerge in 4 to 6 weeks. These bulbs contain all the water and nutrients they need to flower.
The problem is that these bulbs are spent after one growing season and won’t rebloom.
Schmidt is a Poway resident with over 40 years of gardening experience.
