With their beautiful showy red and white blooms, Amaryllis are popular plants for the holidays. Numerous cultivars offer flowers with stripes and spectacular variegated petal patterns, so they make wonderful gifts, too.
These plants will flower for around one to two months, but once you've discovered how to grow Amaryllis, you can get your bulb to re-bloom every year."Many of us as houseplant lovers have probably received an Amaryllis bulb for the holiday season," says Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, the Houseplant Guru and author of Bloom and Houseplants. "They flower approximately 6-8 weeks after being planted and have huge, gorgeous blooms. If cared for correctly, they will bloom again the next year."
Here is what you can do with your Amaryllis after it blooms so you can enjoy this pretty plant on repeat.
What to do with Amaryllis after it blooms and The 5 steps to take
"The amaryllis bulbs everyone purchases for the holidays are nearly all hybrids resulting from crossing different species of Hippeastrum with each other and with other hybrid Hippeastrum," explains Justine Kandra, horticulturalist at Missouri Botanical Gardens.
"Amaryllis and Hippeastrum are two different genera in the Amaryllidaceae family. However, the name Amaryllis is still used to refer to the many hybrid Hippeastrum cultivars available for forcing indoors."
Whatever type of plant you have, the care is the same, so find out the five steps to take to get your Amaryllis to bloom again.
1. Cut the spent flowers away
One of the reasons Amaryllis is so popular at Christmas, is because it's one of the best bulbs to plant in the fall, taking around 6-8 weeks to flower. Once the beautiful blooms on your Amaryllis have faded, there is still more life in the plant. Treat it right and your plant will flower again and again for many years to come.
"Once all the flowers are done blooming, the flowering stalk can be cut off," says Justine Kandra. "Leaves will start to grow from the bulb, if they haven't already. It is very important to not cut these leaves off."
"After the flowers have been cut off, the stalk can also be left until it shrivels, as it is photosynthesizing and replenishing the bulb, as the leaves are," says Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, the Houseplant Guru and author of Bloom and Houseplants.
2. Water the bulb and allow the leaves to grow
Once the flowers on your Amaryllis have been removed and the stalk has been cut down or left to shrivel, the leaves can be left to grow. The potted bulb can be placed on a window sill and treated like your other beautiful houseplants.
"Place your Amaryllis in a warm, sunny location such as a south-facing window so the leaves can start gathering energy for next year's blooms," says Justine. "Water it and fertilize as you would any other houseplant."
3. Move the plant outside in spring
Continue to water your houseplant indoors, and wait for the weather to warm up before putting it outside in your backyard.
"Once the danger of frost has passed in spring, potted Amaryllis bulbs can be moved outdoors to get extra sun and warmth," says Justine. "However, if that's not an option, amaryllis can also be kept indoors year-round, as long as they get plenty of light."
"If you move your Amaryllis outside, grow it in a semi-sunny spot," says Lisa. "Full sun might be too much for it, so keep it where it won't receive afternoon sun. Fertilize your plant all summer, while it is actively growing, to help rejuvenate the bulb."
4. Allow the plant to go dormant
Known as one of the best winter houseplants, it's important to note that Amaryllis leaves will continue to grow. However, it won't flower until after its dormant phase. The growth helps the bulb to store energy for future blooms and is part of its life cycle.
"At the end of summer, allow your plant to dry out and let the leaves die down," says Lisa. "You can remove the bulb from the pot or leave it as it is. Cut the yellowing leaves off and allow the bulb to rest for at least two months."
"In the fall, Amaryllis plants should be allowed to enter a dormant resting period," explains Justine. "The two keys to achieving a successful dormancy are to stop watering and provide cooler temperatures. Amaryllis are not tolerant of freezing temperatures though, so make sure to bring them inside a garage or basement where they will not fully freeze."
5. Start watering the bulb after dormancy
To encourage your Amaryllis bulb to bloom and bring it out of dormancy, it will need water, warmth, and light. With the right care and timing, it will be ready to be included with your Christmas flowers.
"After around two months, you can move the pot back into a warm, sunny location and resume watering to trigger blooming," says Justine. "If your Amaryllis starts growing offsets, these can be separated and potted up in their own container in the spring.
"Start watering the bulb around six to eight weeks before you'd like it to bloom again," says Lisa. "Giving it bright light is important to keep the leaves compact and sturdy. Then wait for it to put out its next display of flowers.
Lisa continues: "If you choose to leave the offsets on the original bulb, eventually, you will have a large pot full of flowering bulbs. If that's the case, keep moving it to a larger pot that is only one inch or so wider on either side of the bulb. If your bulb fails to bloom again, then it didn't receive enough light and/or fertilizer all summer to replenish itself."
FAQs
What is the life cycle of Amaryllis?
Amaryllis generally flowers between December and February. Once the faded flowers and stalk are cut away, the plant enters a growth phase from spring to summer. Then, it requires a couple of months of dormancy, usually September and October, before flowering again.
"Amaryllis bloom once a year," says Justine Kandra, horticulturalist at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. "These are long-lived plants, easily surviving for decades as long as they receive the proper care."
Alluring Amaryllis Blooms
Price: $22
Was: $29.95
This radiant red Amaryllis plant from Walmart comes in a pack of 1 and can grow beautifully in bright light indoors. It also loves partial shade outdoors and thrives in zones 8-10.
