Each year as the holiday season approaches, many stores feature bulbs boxed for gifting.
First and foremost among them is the amaryllis. Many amaryllises are bright red, though hybridizers have broadened the selection to include shades of pink and pure white. Introduced into our nation in the early 1800s, the amaryllis has been brightening winter days for a long time.
The foliage emerges as the flowers fade, so some call amaryllises naked ladies, magic lilies, or resurrection lilies.
The amaryllis is native to the Cape of Good Hope, a region that shares the Mediterranean climate precipitation pattern of dry summers and wet winters. There, it emerges in March, blooming as the days in the southern hemisphere grow shorter.
The bulbs available for us to enjoy have two sources. Amaryllises from South Africa bloom in time for Christmas. Others are cultivated in the Netherlands, where they bloom a bit later to brighten the short days of winter. The foliage emerges as the flowers fade, so some call amaryllises naked ladies, magic lilies, or resurrection lilies.
Grow an amaryllis in a pot. . .
If you want the bulb to brighten winters in years to come, grow it in a pot with potting soil. When you get your bulb, place it with the top third above the soil line. These bulbs prefer a rather tight fit, so the pot should be only about one inch wider than the bulb. Place it in bright light and water sparingly.
Once you see green emerging, water as needed to keep the soil moist. Rotate the pot daily as the stem develops so that it will be straight. The foliage will emerge as the flowers fade. Remove the flower stems and keep the foliage in bright light.
After danger of frost passes, you may move the pot outdoors. In May, begin monthly fertilization with a water-soluble balanced product until the foliage begins to fade. In late summer stop watering and place the pot in a cool dark place. A month or two before you want it to re-bloom, bring it back into the light and resume watering.
. . . or not!
Last year we were given an amaryllis bulb dressed in a tiny holiday sweater. The bulb needed no water or soil to bloom. I placed it on a plate on a sunny windowsill, where it slowly began to grow. It finally bloomed beautifully in March! These decorative novelties have been specially treated to be a “one-and-done” holiday delight.
You can grow amaryllis bulbs available in stores without soil. Simply pile some stones about four inches deep in a jar. Secure the bulb among the top stones and add about one inch of water. Bulbs contain all the nutrition needed for the flowers to emerge
Distantly related to belladonna, amaryllis is the sole member of its class. Linnaeus named it for a shepherdess featured in poems by Ovid and Virgil. Her name means “sparkle and shine”. These flowers do brighten the dark days of winter.