Amaryllis for the Holidays: One Bulb, Six Weeks, Giant Blooms

A dry, papery bulb the size of an apple sits in a box on the shelf. Six weeks later it sends up a thick green stalk, and a few days after that, flowers as wide as a salad plate open in red, white or pink. It is one of the easiest bits of magic you can do in a kitchen, and it fits the holidays perfectly.

The only trick is timing. Plant an amaryllis too late and it blooms in January. Plant it too early and the flowers are gone before the guests arrive. This guide gives you a simple calendar, the steps for planting and staking, what to do with waxed bulbs, how to get a second bloom next year and how to care for cut amaryllis if you would rather buy flowers than grow them.

What an amaryllis really is

The plant we call amaryllis is technically a Hippeastrum, native to the tropical and subtropical parts of South America. The true Amaryllis is a different plant from South Africa, but the common name stuck long ago and nobody is going to change it now. When a shop sells an "amaryllis bulb," it is almost always a hippeastrum.

The bulb is a storage organ. Everything the flower needs to bloom is already packed inside, which is why the plant can flower with little more than a pot, some soil and a bit of water. A large bulb, about 3 to 4 inches across, may send up two stalks. A smaller one may produce just one. Bigger bulbs give bigger shows, so if you have a choice, buy the heaviest one.

When to plant for holiday blooms

Most amaryllis bulbs take 6 to 8 weeks to bloom, though warmer rooms speed them up. Count backward from the day you want the flowers.

Planting calendar for amaryllis

If you buy bulbs in early November, you are right on schedule for Christmas. For more control, plant three bulbs a week apart. Then the blooms open one after another, and you get color from early December well into January.

How to plant an amaryllis, step by step

1. Pick the right pot. Choose a pot only 1 to 2 inches wider than the bulb. Amaryllis blooms best when the roots are snug. It also needs a drainage hole, or the bulb can rot.
2. Soak the roots. If the bulb has dry roots, set them in lukewarm water for a few hours before planting. Do not soak the whole bulb.
3. Plant it high. Use a well-draining potting mix. Set the bulb so that about the top third sits above the soil line, and press the soil firmly around it.
4. Water once, lightly. Give it a little water after planting, then wait. Overwatering before the shoot appears is the most common cause of failure.
5. Put it in a warm, bright place. Aim for a room around 70 degrees. A spot near a window works well.
6. Water more as it grows. When the shoot reaches about 2 inches, water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Keep the soil moist but never soggy.
7. Turn the pot every few days. The stalk leans toward the light, and turning the pot keeps it upright.

Within a week or two you will see a green tip. After that the stalk can grow an inch or more per day, which is fun to watch. Once the buds appear, move the pot out of direct sun and into a cooler room, and the flowers will last longer.

Staking: how to stop a tall stalk from flopping

Amaryllis flowers are heavy. A stalk with four big blooms can top 18 inches and tip over the pot. Push a slim bamboo stake into the soil next to the bulb, being careful to stay away from the bulb itself, and loosely tie the stalk to it with garden twine or a soft strip of fabric. Choose a heavy ceramic pot for extra stability, or a pot with a wide base. A short trim of the leaves is not needed at this stage. Let them grow, because they feed the bulb for next year.

Waxed amaryllis: no soil, no watering

You may have seen amaryllis bulbs dipped in colored wax and sold as gifts. These bulbs need no soil and no water. The bulb has enough stored energy to bloom on its own. Set it on a plate or a shallow dish in a bright room, and in about 6 to 8 weeks you will have flowers.

The trade-off is that a waxed bulb is a one-time display. Without water or soil, it does not build up the energy to bloom again, so most people compost it afterward. If you want a bulb that returns, buy the kind that comes in soil or in a plain box.

Colors and varieties

Red is the classic, and red amaryllis such as 'Red Lion' show up in thousands of homes each December. White varieties feel fresh and pair well with greenery. 'Apple Blossom' is a soft white with pink brushing, and it looks like a painting. You can also find salmon, coral, burgundy, striped and double-flowered forms with extra rows of petals. For a pure holiday look, mix red amaryllis with green and cream. For something modern, pick a single white bulb in a matte ceramic pot.

How to get your amaryllis to bloom again

After the flowers fade, cut the stalk off near the base but keep the leaves. Place the pot in a bright window and water and feed it every couple of weeks through spring and summer, so the leaves refill the bulb with energy. In late summer, around August or September, stop watering, move the pot to a cool, dark place and let the leaves dry for about 8 to 10 weeks. Then cut the leaves, repot with fresh soil, and start the cycle again. That is when you can plant again for the next holiday season.

It takes a little patience, but a healthy bulb can bloom for many years.

Buying cut amaryllis instead

If you would rather have flowers right away, florists sell cut amaryllis stems from late fall through winter. Each stem has two to four large blooms, and the flowers last about 7 to 10 days in a vase. A few tips:

• Cut stems are hollow. The ends can split and curl in water. Wrap the bottom inch with clear tape or a rubber band to keep them straight.
• Use a heavy vase. The blooms are top heavy. Fill the vase only about a third with water and use a tall, weighted container.
• Keep the water clean. Change it every two days and trim the stems a little.
• Mix with greenery. A single stem with pine, eucalyptus and a few ornamental berries makes a quick holiday centerpiece. Our guide to flowers in season in November has more ideas for the colder months.

For the full routine that applies to any cut flower, see our guide on how to make flowers last longer.

Safety around pets and kids

All parts of the plant contain a compound called lycorine, and the ASPCA lists amaryllis as toxic to dogs and cats. The bulb is the most concentrated part. If a pet chews on the plant, the usual signs are drooling, vomiting and a lack of appetite. Keep amaryllis on a high shelf, and call your vet if your pet gets into it. The same caution applies to small children, who should not chew on any part of the plant.

Amaryllis FAQ

The short version

• Plant amaryllis about 6 to 8 weeks before you want blooms: early to mid-November for Christmas.
• Pick a snug pot with drainage and keep the top third of the bulb above the soil.
• Water lightly at first, more once the shoot grows, and turn the pot every few days.
• Stake the stalk and keep the pot cool once buds open.
• Save the leaves and the bulb for another round next year.

Not everyone has time to grow a flower from a bulb, and that is where a good bouquet helps. FlowerEase opens on November 21 with same-day delivery from a florist near you. Until then, follow along on Instagram and Pinterest for a new flower story every week.

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