Amaryllis
Botanical Name - Hippeastrum |
Overview: Amaryllis is a flowering bulb that has spectacular blooms. It is a very easy plant to bring to grow and can be used as an outdoor plant or as a colorful potted plant. Amaryllis blooms from Early January to late June depending on the variety and will bloom for a period of 5 to 10 weeks depending on the variety. The Amaryllis can also be 'forced' to bloom at other times of the year by refrigerationg the bulbs and planting them approximately 8 weeks before the desired bloom period. Larger bulbs will produce more flowers than smaller ones so you should take some care when selecting them.
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History: The Amaryllis is originally from tropical regions of South America. Amaryllis bulbs have been exported around the world and hybrids have been developed as far away as the Southern parts of Africa.
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Colors and Varieties: Amaryllis is available in many bright and beautiful colors. There are Amaryllis available in deep reds, bright whites, several shades of pink and salmon orange. Most of the red and pink varieties are also available in versions with white stripes or with white centers. Double Amaryllis are also available in most of the same solid color and combination color versions.
Amaryllis bulbs are available that produce different sized blooms and have stalks of varying lenghts. The Amaryllis hybrids that have been produced in South African have mostly been bred for their very large flowers. In order to support the unusually large blooms, they have been bred to produce shorter, thicker stalks. The South African hybrid Amaryllis are especially suited for growing indoors in pots.
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Care and Planting of Bulbs: Amaryllis bulbs need attention as soon as you receive them. The normal planting period for Amaryllis bulps is from the middle of October until early March.
If you cannot plant them right away, Amaryllis bulbs should be stored in a cool dry location. The desired storage temperature is between 40-50 degrees farenheight. Whether you store them in a refrigerator or in a cellar, make sure not to store them with apples. The chemical fumes given off by apples as they age will sterilize the Amaryllis bulbs.
When you are ready to plant the Amaryllis bulbs, make sure you have prepared the planting bed or pot. A potting compost is the best medium to insure healthy growth. You can prepare the bulbs for planting by putting the roots and the bottom part of the bulb in a shallow pan of slightly warm (but not hot) water for 2-4 hours.
Amaryllis bulbs should be planted in a location that receives direct sunlight for best results. Bulbs are planted with the roots down and with soil or potting compost covering the roots and bulb. Leave the very top of the bulb uncovered. The best time for planting is when the temperatures are in the upper 60s to lower 70s. You can lengthen the period that you have blooms by spacing out the planting of the bulbs over a period of several weeks.
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Watering: Amaryllis bulbs need very little water until the leaves start to grow. As more leaves are visible, the amount of water that is needed will increase. You should continue to water the the plant throughout its growing season even if the blooms have run thier course. When the leaves turn yellow and wilt, you can limit or cease watering. It is important that the plant be nurtured throughout the growing season so the bulb will be healthy enough to produce beautiful flowers the following year.
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Dormant Season Care: When the leave yellow and wilt, cut the foliage from the top of the bulb leaving 1-2 inches of the leaves. In warm climates where the risk of hard frost is light, the bulbs can be left in the ground. In cooler climates, the bulbs should be removed from the soil to be stored in a cool, dry location that is sheilded from light. When removing the bulbs, take care to do as little damage to the roots as possible. Bulbs may be replanted after giving them a dormant period of no less than 6-8 weeks of storage.
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