Care

Caring for amaryllis

Everything about caring for your amaryllis and helping it bloom

Would you like to care for an amaryllis (Hippeastrum)? Read all our tips for optimal amaryllis care. Depending on the temperature and variety, the amaryllis bulb typically blooms 7 to 10 weeks after planting. The most important thing is a warm, bright location.

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Step-by-step guide

All the steps for caring for your amaryllis in one overview

Planting the amaryllis
The right location for the amaryllis
Watering the amaryllis
Feeding the amaryllis
Allowing the amaryllis to flower and getting it to flower again

Step 1

Planting the amaryllis

Your amaryllis bulb can be planted immediately after receipt.
If the bulb is planted later, store it between 7 and 10°C to prevent premature sprouting.
Before planting, preferably place the bulb with its roots in water for half a day to ‘soak’, which helps the bulb produce new roots more easily.
Use ordinary potting soil or our special Amaranth coconut coir potting mix and a sturdy stable pot that can properly support the weight of the stem and flowers.
Plant the bulb with approximately two-thirds of the bulb in the soil; the neck of the bulb should remain above the soil.
The potting soil from the bag is generally sufficiently moist as long as no leaves or flower stalk are visible. Do not add extra water now.
Because the bulb gradually shrinks until it flowers, press down the potting soil around the bulb from time to time.

Video

Also watch this video about planting the amaryllis

This video clearly explains how to plant an amaryllis and when to water it for the first time. Tip: You can turn on the video's subtitles if desired. They are available in 3 additional languages.

Step 2

The right location for the amaryllis

Amaryllis prefers a bright, warm climate of 18 to 25°C and tolerates sunlight well. A spot right by the window is therefore ideal. Make sure the amaryllis is not placed somewhere too cold. How quickly the flower stalk appears depends on the temperature, location, and variety. In a cool room at 18°C, it may take considerably longer than in a warmer room at 25°C. Some varieties also flower faster than others. A little patience may therefore be needed.

Step 3

Watering the amaryllis

After planting, no additional water is needed during the first week, until the leaves and flower stalks emerge. The bulb is also developing new roots now, so you can begin watering carefully.
Wait until the surface of the soil is dry again before watering. The bulb cannot tolerate too much water and will rot.

Step 4

Feeding the amaryllis

There is no need to add extra plant food until flowering has finished, because the bulb contains sufficient nutrients.
Only start feeding after flowering, once the leaves have developed.

Step 5

Allowing the amaryllis to flower and getting it to flower again

The amaryllis will flower after 7 to 10 weeks, depending on the temperature.
Remove spent flowers, and once all the flowers have faded, cut off the flower stalk with a sharp knife 10 cm above the bulb.
Do not throw away the bulb after flowering. With proper care, the bulb can flower again next year. To achieve this, it needs to regain strength and increase in size.
The bulb can remain in the same pot (option 1) or be transplanted into a larger pot (option 2) if necessary.

A cut bulb with 3 flower buds

Option 1: Your amaryllis bulb remains in the same pot

After flowering, remove the spent flower stalks; do not cut off the leaves
Keep the bulb at room temperature and water it regularly. Do not feed it plant food more than once every 6–8 weeks.
The leaves continue to grow after flowering, allowing the bulb to grow and produce new flower buds.
Your amaryllis bulb needs a cold period to bloom again. Approximately six months after flowering, you can place the pot with the bulb and leaves in a cooler location for at least 8 to 10 weeks at a temperature of 7–10° C.
During this cool period, continue to water it occasionally during the first few weeks.
At the end of this cool period, remove any remaining leaves from the plant and return it to room temperature.
Now wait to water until the new leaves and flower stalks appear.
After 7 to 10 weeks (depending on the temperature), the amaryllis will bloom again.
The bulbs that remain firmly planted and are not transplanted into another or larger pot produce longer stalks!

Option 2: Your amaryllis bulb is planted in another (larger) pot

After flowering, remove the spent flower stalks; do not cut off the leaves
Keep the bulb at room temperature and water it regularly. Do not feed it plant food more than once every 6–8 weeks.
The leaves continue to grow after flowering, allowing the bulb to grow and produce new flower buds.
Approximately 6 months after the last flowering, remove the bulb from the pot and cut the leaves off approximately 5 cm above the bulb.
Store the bulb in a warm, dry place for 2 weeks so that the cut wound can dry properly.
Clean the roots and remove old roots, young offsets (bulblets), and old bulb parts. You can also plant the bulb with its offsets (bulblets) whole in a larger pot. These offsets will develop into full-sized bulbs and will also bloom normally later.
Then store the bulb in a cool place between 7 and 15° C
After a cool period of 8 to 10 weeks, the bulb can be planted again.
After 7 to 10 weeks (depending on the temperature), the amaryllis will bloom again.