22d • Houseplants
🌸Amaryllis Tips & Tricks 🌸
Winter is the time of year for lots of things, nature going to sleep, snow, holidays, warm n tasty dishes and drinks, and also some plants bloom now! As crazy as it is, some plants bloom in winter because they don’t see the world shutting down — they see a chance to shine. They remind us that growth can happen in the coldest moments, and life finds a way even when everything else feels still.
Unique growing process of the Amaryllis is they are a bulb, but the flower comes first and then the leaves come after. So after the flower dies off, you're left with these big, long leaves. Kinda backwards from other plants! The bulb stores energy from the previous season's leaves. If it has sufficient energy, it will send up a flower stalk. If it has not stored enough energy, it may send up leaves first to photosynthesize and create more energy for a future bloom.
🌸 Amaryllis Facts & Care Guide
✨ Fun Facts:
🌺 Amaryllis means “to sparkle” — fitting for those huge, dramatic blooms.
🌿 Each bulb can re-bloom for years with the right care — they’re basically the gift that keeps on giving.
🎨 Flowers come in red, white, pink, orange, and striped varieties.
💫 They’re popular around the holidays because they bloom indoors in winter when most plants are asleep.
🇿🇦 Native to South Africa — that’s why they love warmth and bright light!
The bulb is essentially a self-contained energy packet. It uses the starches and nutrients stored during the previous growing season (when the leaves were present) to produce the impressive, large flowers without needing to photosynthesize immediately. The leaves typically emerge around the same time as the flowers start to open, or shortly after. The crucial role of the leaves is to then perform photosynthesis during the following spring and summer, rebuilding the bulb's energy reserves for the next year's bloom.
- Reproductive Advantage: In the plant's natural environment in Central and South America, this growth cycle often times flowering with the onset of the rainy season after a dry rest period. Blooming before the leaves appear can be an evolutionary advantage, as it allows the plant to flower and set seed before the dense foliage of other plants might block access to pollinators or sunlight.
🪴Planting Tips
Recommended Soil Options
- Commercial Potting Mix: A high-quality, general-purpose commercial potting soil with good drainage works well.
- Amaryllis-Specific Mix: Pre-made "
- DIY Custom Mix: You can create your own ideal blend using common gardening materials.One recommended mixture is two parts loam soil to one part perlite to one part well-decomposed compost.Another option is a soilless mix of peat, coarse sand, vermiculite, and charcoal in a ratio of 3:3:2:1.
- Always use a container with a drainage hole.
- Plant the bulb so that one-third to one-half of it remains above the soil line to prevent rot.
- After the initial watering, only water again when the top inch or two of soil is dry. Overwatering is the most frequent cause of problems.
🪴 Care Tips:
💡 Light:
Bright, indirect light indoors; a sunny windowsill is perfect. Light and watering play a big role. Amaryllis need to be in a bright spot to grow well, and rotating the pot can keep the stalks from leaning in one direction. Proper watering during the dormant period is crucial to prevent the bulb from rotting.
💧 Water:
Keep the soil slightly moist while growing — not soggy. Let the top inch dry out before watering again. If you put them in water, make sure you are changing the water often and not letting algae grow so it doesn't rot the bulb.
There are even ones in the stores now that require no water!!! They are wrapped in wax, and you dont have to do anything to them. But if you want to keep them for the next year, it is best to put them in water or plant them.
🌡️ Temperature:
They love warmth 65–75°F (18–24°C). Keep them away from cold drafts.
🌸 After Blooming:
Cut off the spent flowers but leave the leaves — they feed the bulb for next year’s bloom.
🌱 Dormancy:
After summer, let the leaves die back naturally. Store the bulb in a cool, dark place for 8–10 weeks, then replant to restart the cycle. Many amaryllis varieties need a cool, dormant period (about 10-15°C for 6-8 weeks) to prepare for flowering. During this time, the bulb can prepare for the next bloom. If this period is skipped, the bulb might grow leaves first instead of flowers.
The bulbs sold for indoor growing (which are actually of the genus Hippeastrum) have been specifically prepared by commercial growers. They go through a growth phase and then a dormant period where the flower buds are already formed inside the bulb, ready to emerge.
💚 Tip:
To get a bigger, stronger bloom next year, feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the growing season.
Below are ones I have had over the years, or have seen in person. The one with alot of blooms is one my aunt had for like 5 years. Every year she would do as I told her, and fertilize like she should. It was just like $5 at a big box store! Pretty amazing!!
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🌸Amaryllis Tips & Tricks 🌸
