My passion for amaryllis started as a young girl and the obsession has been growing ever since. My grandma always had a multitude of amaryllis blooming for the holidays. She would display some with houseplants, place single bulb pots in visitor’s bedrooms, and give dozens away as Christmas gifts.
When I first started growing amaryllis, I would purchase boxed grow kits from the local Tractor and Supply. These kits included dehydrated coco coir, a plastic pot, and a small amaryllis bulb. Generally, these small bulbs produced only one or two flowering stalks. But, as my passion for amaryllis grew, I started to invest in larger bulbs.
Amaryllis bulbs are sold in centimeters which is the measurement around the widest part of the bulb. I prefer to purchase 34/36 or 38/40 cm bulbs whenever possible. Larger bulbs will produce more flowers and have thicker, stronger stems than their smaller counterparts. Infact, I’ve had some 38 cm bulbs put out five flowering stems. These jumbo amaryllis bulbs are a full year older than smaller bulbs and will be slightly more expensive. In my opinion it’s completely worth the extra cost.
Most amaryllis bulbs come from Peru, South Africa, Brazil (Southern Hemisphere) or Holland (Northern Hemisphere). These bulbs naturally flower according to their country of origins calendar. Southern hemisphere bulbs are groomed for immediate performance and will bloom just 4-6 weeks after planting. You will often see these amaryllis listed as “Early Blooming” or “Christmas Flowering.”
However, amaryllis bulbs grown in the northern hemisphere (Holland) will generally bloom 8-12 weeks after planting. If you want to hold amaryllis bulbs, it’s best to use Northern Hemisphere bulbs.
Planting amaryllis bulbs is a fun, quick, and easy endeavor. Amaryllis bulbs prefer to be relatively tight in their pots so choose a container that’s approximately 2 inches wider than your bulb. A heavy container with a drainage hole will keep the display from toppling over and from becoming waterlogged.
Fill your container halfway full of high quality premoistened potting soil. Set the bulb on top the soil and fill in around the bulb with more potting soil leaving the top 1/3 of the bulb exposed.
After your bulbs are planted water around the perimeter bulb. Then keep the soil barely moist, applying approximately 1/2 cup of water per week. Place your pots in a warm area (68-70°F) with bright, indirect light and watch them grow and bloom!
Bonus Tip! A 2013 study by Cornell and Kansas State University concluded that soaking amaryllis roots in room temperature water for 12 hours prior to planting resulted in more rapid and uniform early leaf growth, and greater overall early vigor. Read the full study HERE.
Reblooming an amaryllis bulb for future holidays is easier than it sounds. As with other flower bulbs, amaryllis use their leaves to produce energy for next year’s flowers. If you want them to rebloom at a certain time you will need to control their calendar. To have your amaryllis flower again at Christmas follow these steps.
After blooming, grow your amaryllis as a houseplant for the rest of winter and spring. Give it plenty of light inside the home and keep it watered. After all danger of frost has passed move the pot outside for the summer. The bulb should stay dry, and the soil should be barely moist — never soggy. If your summers are wet, you may need to shield the pot from excessive rain.
In late summer, stop watering and move the potted bulb to a cool (50-55°F), dark, dry location. An unheated basement is ideal. The leaves will gradually wither as the plant goes dormant. Leave the bulb alone and don’t water them for 2-3 months.
After dormancy, bring the bulbs back into a warm area with bright light. Remove all the dead foliage, top dress the bulb with fresh soil, and water well to wake up the bulbs.
Amaryllis bulbs increase in diameter as they age and may need repotted every three to four years. To repot, remove the bulb from the container and gently shake off excess soil. Remove the dry scales and repot into the next size pot.
Ideally, you want to bring the bulbs out of dormancy 8-12 weeks before you want them to rebloom. Therefore, if you want an amaryllis to be in bloom on Christmas day you would put them into dormancy in August, take them out of dormancy in October, and they should rebloom in late December/early January. Naturally, there are variables, but this is the calendar that has given me the best success rate for subsequent holiday blooms.
33 Comments
Danielle, your face on the thumbnail!!! Made me sit down, enjoy my coffee, watch your video and start the morning right!!!
Thanks to you I have now 4 amaryllis
Thank you for the great information. Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
Hi! Great video! How often do the offsets appear on the mother bulb? Also, do you ever feed the bulbs?
Thanks for such detailed information – great video♥
Thank you so much, this video was so informative! I live in Texas and put my' bulbs outside in the spring (late April) the leaves look beautiful but they don't rebloom. If you have any advice i would appreciate it. Thanks in advance (:
Can you show how you painted your tall terra cotta pots that you are using for your amaryllis? I would love to try to do that and paint mine white like some of yours. What kind of paint? How many coats? Do you also paint a protective coat of something over the paint? Do you paint the inside of the pot? Your video and information is awesome. I will alter a few care things on my bulbs this year based on your video. And will try to bravely remove a few of my bulb offsets. Gulp.. THANK YOU.!
Hi Danielle! You have such a gorgeous collection of amaryllis 🤩🌟!
Sadly I recently had to throw away 6 out of 8 bulbs which I had been feeding all summer and then forcing into dormancy. The six of them had rotten even though I think I watered them quite sparringly and they spent the summer outdoors but sheltered from rain.
In Europe or at least in Finland it's very uncommon to get such large bulbs as what you were talking about. We usually get to buy very average sized bulbs with plain red, pink or white flowers without a variety name.
Talking about propagation -> I once let the bloom go to seed and then sowed the seeds right away. They did germinate and began to form little plants but then they got infested with red amaryllis fungus and I had to dispose of them. In any case sowing is a method worth trying.
Wishing you the most wonderful amaryllis season and Merry Christmas ♥️🤗!!
Do you do any additional fertilization outside of repotting in miracle gro? If so, when? Thanks!!!
Danielle, as ever you have the most informative and helpful videos. My amaryllis collection has definitely grown thanks to your influence. Much appreciated! Thanks!
you are so funny how excited you are about Amaryllis ….I love it.
Amaryllis are such a nostalgic flower for me! I love them so much! My favorite is Apple Blossom which I realize is so common, but I just enjoy the blooms so much. Thankyou for all the information Danielle! Merry Christmas🎄!
Your enthusiasm for this flower is infectious! Thank you for this all encompassing tutorial on amaryllis. Although I have been growing them for forever :), I always pickup something new from you, TY. Question: Can the bulbs be directly planted in the ground in May (zone 6b) and then dug up in August to go into dormancy. And…if you do not have a cold storage area for the dormancy stage, what are some other options? I've had some success saving some from last year, but not great.
Thank you, Danielle, for sharing your passion of Amaryllis with us, that was a great tutorial. 👍
This is absolutely FANTASTIC!!!! Your passion for amaryllis is infectious!!!
Oh wow they are so GORGEOUS. Amaryllis aren't huge in Australia (very hot Christmas here) but im going to get some going for our winter and see how our customers like them. Thanks for another great video Danielle. xx Phaedra
Merry Christmas Danielle!🎄🎄🎄
Thank you so much!
Got my first Amaryllis this week so this video popping up in my feed is both timely and crazy (maybe even creepy), but super great information and excellent delivery. Thank you!
I have a bulb that has wax around it. Can I save it to reviling? If so, do I just take the wax off and pot the bulb?
Your amaryllis collection is so beautiful! I purchased a Cherry Nymph amaryllis and I'm glad you mentioned that these are shorter, because I thought I did something wrong. I have around 10 of them. I purchase most of mine from big box stores and was able to find some very rare varieties – at least to me! I'm inspired by your collection and was so happy to get my 1 amaryllis from last year to rebook! I didn't do anything special, but I did stop watering it and placed it outside in the garden container and all.
It’s my first time seeing you. You make it pretty clear. I have 4 I’m trying for the first time and I brought them back a few weeks later than I wanted. I’ll see if I gave the bulbs all they needed over the last year to continue their beauty This year. Thank you for your video.
Merry Christmas!
Wait. You used to do commercials?! How cool!
Very informative video of all things Amaryllis. Thank you. 🤗
Where did you get your metal plant tags?
Would the daughter bulb a true replica of the mother bulb or would it be altered in color?
Danielle, just wondering how you keep the bulb cool in August when you force dormancy. I have a dark closet in the basement but it's probably still close to 70 degrees that time of year. Is a fridge too cold?
Thank you for such detailed instructions on how to grow amaryllis! This is my first year growing them.
Great video again! 😍Thank you Danielle. 😊
I wonder what effect cutting the flower has on the bulb. Would it possibly help the bulb conserve energy for the next bloom? Or some maybe some other positive/negative effects?
Danielle you are a garden book of information and love to hear you explain in detail on everything thank you so much for all the information and love you put into your videos just look forward them all ! Enjoy your Christmas break sending love hugs and Christmas cheer ❤🎄🥰🙌💌Karen from Port Macquarie NSW Australia 🇦🇺
Amaryllis are just the most beautiful, easy flower to grow. I just love them so much.❤
Why are you misinforming people??? This is not an amaryllis, but a Hippeastrum
i have successfully propagated amaryllis from seeds. Such a thrill! They take longer to bloom, but the little seedlings are so beautiful!