Description | Amaryllis ABC's (Hippeastrum) A long-lived, easy to flower indoor plant. Grows from a large bulb. |
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Plant Type | Indoor Flowering Plants, Bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizoms, etc., Site author's observations |
Hardiness Zone | 9-10 |
Sunlight | full sun, bright |
Moisture | evenly moist when growing, approach dryness to dry when resting |
Growing Media | average house |
Temperature | average house |
Flowers | red, white, pink, orange, salmon or bicolored, funnel shaped, 2-4 per scape (stalk), 6 tepals (3 sepals and 3 petals), bloom once a year, hollow flower stalk reaches 2 feet |
Leaves | strap-like leaves that radiate from the top of the bulb. |
Stems | bulb |
Dimensions | 2 feet |
Maintenance | The Amaryllis goes through a growing, blooming, resting cycle. After blooming cut off the flower stalk and it will start to go dormant. Keep it on the dry side until it starts to regrow in a few months. Divide plants when dormant. |
Propagation | It can be easily grown from the flat, black, seeds but it won't come true from seeds. After a few years the plant may form small bulbs that can be divided off the mother plant when it is dormant. In the greenhouse, Amaryllis will self-seed in other pots. |
Native Site | Species are native to South and Central America. |
Misc Facts | The genus Amaryllis is taken from a shepherdess in one of Virgil's pastorals, meaning any young rustic maiden. |
Author's Notes | I had an Amaryllis that was grown from seed which is over 25 years old. This is a great plant to give as a gift. Buy 3-5 dormant bulbs. Start watering 1 different bulb every 7-10 days to get a group of Amaryllis blooming over an extended period of time |
Notes & Reference | #180-Hippeastrum The Gardeners Amaryllis (Veronica M. Read) |