Scarlette Belle


Amazing Belle


Grandise Fantasy


Candy Cane


Bulb enrobed in wax

I used to assume that these stunning plants were too fussy to deal with, but I've learned that's just not so - they're so easy that anyone can grow them! If you treat it right, your amaryllis won't just bloom this winter, it will keep pumping out flowers for several more years.

Planting: Amaryllis want to be pot bound, so choose a container (with drainage holes please) that's only an inch or two larger than the bulb. Plant the buldb in potting mix with about one-fourth of it peeking above the soil line. Place it in an area with bright but indirect light and temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees F.

Watering: At planting time, wate gently around the bulb, not down into the neck. When you see signs of growth (which could take a couple of weeks), water your amaryllis again and then continue watering whenever the soil feels dry.

Support: These beauties tall stems should be tied to a stake or sturdy twig from your garden to prevent flopping. Please be careful not to poke the bulb with the stake. Another way to "stake" is to place your potted amaryllis inside a tall glass vase or hurricane on a bed of pebbles. 

After-Bloom Care: Once the flowers have faded, cut the stems close to the top of the bulb. Keep the plant indoors, water when the soil feels dry, and feed monthly with a fertilizer for houseplants. In early summer, move the bulb in its pot to your garden, ideally in a sheltered location that gets bright, indirect light. This will encourage foliage growth. Continue to water regularly when the soil feels dry. 

For an Amazing Christmas Display: In September, cut off the foliage, stop watering, and place your potted amaryllis in a cool, dark, dry place indoors for 8 to 12 weeks. In early December, move your plant to an indoor spot with bright, indirect light and begin watering it regularly again.

Cut Flowers: You don't have to be afraid to snip their stems from the plant. The cut flowers from your amaryllis will bloom just as long as potted ones. You'll want to refresh the water every few days, and the blooms should last up to two weeks. To help the stems stay upright, add some gravel to the bottom of your vase.

Bulb Enrobed in Wax: Caring for a waxed amaryllis is incredibly simple: no water, no soil needed, just place it in a bright spot at room temperature (65-75°F) and rotate it every few days for even growth, enjoying blooms for about three weeks. This is a single-season novelty, but you can try to rebloom it by carefully removing the wax after flowering, planting the firm bulb in soil with the top exposed, keeping soil lightly moist, and allowing it to go dormant in fall before restarting care.  

All of us on the Heards Memorial Garden Tour Board wish you and yours a Happy and Healthy Holiday and a Wonderful New Year! See you on our 2026 Garden Tour on Saturday and Sunday, May 2nd and 3rd.

Contributed by Cindie Reilly
MLHMGT Board member