Hippeastrum (Amaryllis)

Few plants at Christmas are as dramatic and colourful as the Hippestrum. They are very popular gifts as they are very easy to grow. Generally, the varieties which are popular at Christmas are red, white and variations between the two, although there are many other varieties which have different colours and different flower arrangements like doubles or miniatures. They can have enormous flowers, up to 15-18cm across with around 4 flowers to a stem.

When bought, the bulbs are in a state of dormancy, just like Narcissus or tulip bulbs would be. Some come with potting compost and a pot to put them in too. Either way, we suggest you grow them in a ceramic planter which has a bit of weight to it. The reason being, the stems grow tall and tend to get top heavy and the whole plant falls over, especially if the soil dries out too much. Try to pick out bulbs which are firm and large (generally, the larger the bulb, the most number of stems).

Planting

To get the bulb to flower is relatively easy. Plant the bulb either in the compost provided, bulb compost or other well drained garden compost. The pot should be at least 3-5cm larger than the actual bulb and should have drainage holes in the bottom.

The bulb needs to sit around half in and half out of the compost mixture, leaving a couple of cm from the soil to the top of the pot so water gets chance to drain. Water the soil around the bulb so it is damp but wait for it to dry out till it is just moist before adding any more. Whilst it is drying out, put the pot on a warm, sunny window sill. It is best to apply a water based house plant fertilizer every three weeks or so to get the best out of your bulb.

 


The bulbs usually flower between 6 and 8 weeks after potting up. What you will find in the mean time however, is that the flower stems will grow toward the light, so turning will be necessary on an almost daily basis to keep them upright.

To get the most from the flowers, it's best to move them out of the sun and if possible keep them cooler then in the initial stages of growth.

When all the flowers from a stem have finished flowering, cut off the stalk with a sharp knife taking care not to damage the bulb or leaves at around 5cm from the top of the bulb. Hippestrum bulbs work in exactly the same way as narcissus and other bulbs. They need to replenish their food store and this they do through the leaves on the bulb. To allow the bulb to do this, keep the soil moist and continue to apply fertilizer every 3 weeks or so.

There are two ways of dealing with the bulb during the summer. Firstly, After all fear of frost, the bulbs maybe moved outdoors in early summer. The bulbs must be acclimatised first so they will not be shocked. The bulbs can then be planted in the ground in full sun as long as they are watered periodically, especially in dry weather. The bulbs would appreciate being fed with fertilizer again every 3 weeks or so. They should be brought indoors before any risk of frost around mid September. Secondly, if you want to leave your bulb inside it should be kept in a sunny window.

 

Second year flowering

In order for bulbs to bloom again, the bulbs must be forced into going into a dormant stage. Place the plant in a cool, semi-dark place after bringing inside and do not water. All the foliage should be cut off when it goes brown. The bulb then needs 8 to 9 weeks at 10-15C. (Count the weeks from the time the leaves have all gone yellow and withered away, just before cutting off.

The whole process then starts again by watering it and putting it in a sunny, warm window until the growth appears then treat it as above.

The longer you have an amaryllis bulb, the bigger the bulb gets and the more flowers so it is worth the little extra effort to keep it year after year.

My plant has just grown leaves and not flowered, what has happened?

The chances are the bulb has not managed to gather enough food back into the bulb. Lack of water and failure to expose the bulb to temperatures of 10 to 15C for the 8 to 10 weeks could also be the problem.