Flowers in a Box (Part 2)

Amaryllis

The second most popular flower that is given as a Christmas Gift is the Amaryllis.  The bright beautiful red flower can be as wide as 7 inches in diameter and is dazzling to all who see it.  The Amaryllis originates from South America with the most common varieties being Ferrari (red) and Apple Blossom (white & pink).  There are many more varieties as shown by my favorite supplier, White Flower Farm.  They sell 50 different varieties and even have doubles.

The Amaryllis usually comes one to a box and is about the size of a large fist. The container which is included is deep enough to allow adequate room for good root development but may not allow for drainage so be sure to not over water.  The diameter of the pot should be about ONE inch larger than that of the bulb. Although this may seem small, amaryllis bulbs prefer a smaller container. Plant the bulb so that at least one-third to one-half, of the bulb is above the surface of the potting medium. Firm the potting medium around the bulb, water it thoroughly and place the container in a warm, sunny spot.  The Amaryllis will send up a the flower stalk before it starts to develop leaves. Up to 4 large flowers will appear on one stalk, all facing a different direction.  This makes the Amaryllis a favorite for the Holiday Centerpiece. A hint to making the flowers last longer is to remove the plant from direct when the flower buds start to turn color.



Amaryllis Ferrari
 

If you are planning to keep the bulb for future blooming it is essential to fertilize the plants regularly after the bulb shows signs of growth.  Fertilize with a high phosphorus content. Move the plant back into a sunny location after blooming to help feed the bloom for next year.  Keep the flower stalk until it begins to shrivel and turn yellow.  While green it helps to manufacture food that will be stored in the bulb for the next blooming.  Continue to fertilize with a balance formula throughout the year.

The Amaryllis bulb does not have to rest between bloomings and can be grown in many gardens where frost is not an issue. I met one gardener in Jacksonville, Florida who had them  growing under trees to protect them from the frost and they were doing quite well.  If you are not one of the lucky ones who can do this then you can place your bulb, pot and all, right into the ground for the summer.  As they like to be a little pot bound, you should not have to change the pot for almost four years.



Amaryllis Apple Blossom

Bring your bulb in before the first frost.  Though no rest is needed, you can control the time it blooms by forcing it to take a rest.  You will need a minimum of 12 weeks to force a bloom.  This is not an exact science because your environment will affect the timing and it could take as much as 18 weeks.   I would suggest that you plant multiple bulbs at staggered times to be sure you have the flower you want for your Christmas Table.

To force your Amaryllis bulb into a rest period, stop watering and place in a cool dark place.  Discontinue fertilizing.  Do not cut off the leaves until they have dried and shriveled.  After 8 weeks, start to check bulbs regularly for signs of new growth.  When you see green, bring the pot into a sunny location and wait for the bloom.  The bloom should appear within 4 to 6 weeks.  Remember to start fertilizing with the new growth.

If you would like to learn more about the beautiful Amaryllis, I recommend a paper by Carl Hoffman and Mary Meyers of the University of Minnesota / Extension .  It continues with information about disease and bugs that can harm you bulb and what to do about it.

One more posting before Christmas.  This will be on my favorite Christmas flower the Cyclamen.  Pick one up if you see it.  The flower is beautiful and easy to care for.

Please email me, joneskathee@gmail.com ,  if I left anything out.  Send me any pictures of your Amaryllis and I will post them on this blog.  You can add comments right on the blog if you would like.