Christmas Amaryllis Offer Year Round Joy – How To Grow A Multiple-Flowering Amaryllis Hippeastrum

Gray, frosty winter has touched our world and it is easy to feel sad  with the shorter days and long stressful work weeks leading up to the holidays. Bringing a bit of nature inside with a special blooming plant is an easy way to lighten the emotional load, and is a wonderful gift to give during this holiday season as well.

Perhaps one of the single most beautiful delights of nature is the amazing Amaryllis ‘hippeastrum’ flower. Huge, bright colored, blooms offered in many varieties are gorgeous beyond reckoning. An Amaryllis flower typically has a giant bloom which can easily be larger than an outstretched hand, and Amaryllis are surprisingly easy to grow.

Christmas Amaryllis

Contrary to what many of the experts say, it is possible to see several re-blooms a year from an Amaryllis bulb, particularly it is a mature bulb. Amaryllis ‘hippeastrum’ bulbs become easy to find in the stores, both online and off, early November through January. Purchase a bulb and follow the directions on the package. They do best if placed in diffused light with cool indoor temperatures in the 60°F range during the winter indoor season.

When you water, it is important not to get the portion of the bulb that sticks above the soil wet. If you have a large bulb, it is possible to see two or three flowering stalks blooming over a several week period in winter. After the last flower has faded, cut the flower stalk at the base of the stalk, near the top of the bulb. Do not injure the leaves. Move to the sunniest spot possible and keep constantly moist until spring. This will help the plant develop strength for the next bloom season.

When danger of the last frost passes, plant the Amaryllis directly in the soil in your garden. A sunny spot is best, but even if placed in partial shade, they will typically bloom prolifically again mid-summer. Utilize an organic fertilizer if you can. However, you can see success with no fertilizer what-so-ever if planted in better soil.

Before the fall frost sets in, pull up the bulbs and place them in a cool, dry spot to over-winter. At this time, it is possible to attempt a rebloom once again inside your home, or you can choose to store them throughout winter for the next summer’s planting.

Most every hardware and nursery store has Amaryllis available for purchase right now, and you can also purchase them online. One of my favorite online bulb companies is  www.tulipsnmore.com. Others which supply Amaryllis bulbs are Burpee (www.burpee.com) and Jackson and Perkins (www.JacksonandPerkins.com). One of the largest selections of  varieties can be found at www.amaryllis.com.

Amaryllis are often called “Christmas Amaryllis” due to their gorgeous blooms and festive color, however, you can see they are wonderful plants all year long. Happy Holidays!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community!

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