How to Know When Amaryllis Bulbs Will Flower
If you have purchased amaryllis bulbs and are wondering when they will bloom, read on! Watching and waiting is all part of the fun, but this post will give you some idea of what to expect.
There are at least three variables that influence amaryllis bloom time. It’s a combination of where the bulb was produced, when you plant it and which variety you are growing.
The Importance of Bulb Origin
Most of the amaryllis sold in the U.S. are produced in Holland or Israel. Growers harvest the bulbs in late summer, cure them for several weeks and then ship them to the U.S. They are usually available for sale from mid-October through January, and their natural bloom time is January-March.
Amaryllis bulbs are also produced in Brazil, Peru and South Africa. Bulbs grown in the southern hemisphere are harvested several months earlier and typically come into bloom more quickly. If you get these bulbs planted by late October, they will usually flower in December.
Three bulbs of the same variety, growing at slightly different rates.
When to Plant Amaryllis Bulbs
If you purchase bulbs that have already begun to sprout, plant them right away (get planting tips HERE). If the bulbs are still dormant (no sign of sprouting), they can be planted immediately, or you can store them for several months in a cool, dry, dark place. The sooner a dormant bulb is planted and exposed to moisture and light, the sooner it will break dormancy and start growing.
If you buy a number of amaryllis bulbs, you don’t need to plant them all at once. Store some of the dormant bulbs in a cool, dry, dark place and plant them few weeks later to stagger the bloom time. You can figure 6 to 10 weeks from the time you plant to the first flowers. As the winter progresses, the wait time gets shorter because the bulbs are more eager to bloom.
Amaryllis usually produce flowers before foliage, but sometimes it’s the other way around.
Each Variety and Each Bulb Behaves a Bit Differently
Every variety of amaryllis has a slightly different natural dormancy period. Dormancy can also be affected by storage temperature and humidity.
Generally speaking, amaryllis can be divided into early, mid and late season bloomers. Varieties with a relatively short dormancy period include amaryllis Minerva, Rosy Star, Sweet Nymph and Evergreen. The varieties Appleblossom, Splash, Double King, Cherry Nymph, Exotica and White Nymph are considered midseason bloomers. Late bloomers include Red Pearl, Red Lion, Spartacus, Amorice, Christmas Gift, Nymph and Lagoon.
Anticipation and surprise are all part of the fun of growing an amaryllis. With these tips in mind, and an assortment of different varieties in hand, you can count on amaryllis to fill your home with fresh flowers all winter long.
waiting for my red lion bulb to bloom that I planted about 10 week ago ,help
Hi Monique, when did you purchase the bulb? Longfield Gardens only ships amaryllis bulbs between October and January. They should normally be planted before March.
I love your educational information! It is a great help I am an avid gardener here in Ohio! I am also president of Trowel and Tractor garden club. Most of the information I already know but it is always good to pick up a few new tips! Thank you Susan PS I have ordered
bulbs for the first time from your company. I have not received them yet .it is early in the season.
Thanks, Susan. For gardeners there’s always more to learn – it’s part of what makes it so fun. Hope you have great success with whatever you ordered from us.
planted scilla maderensis in december. plants grew to be huge but no flower. now have gone dormant. what should i do now? maybe cut the leaves? i planted 3 bulbs in same large container and keep inside.
Hi Tom – We no longer offer Scilla maderiensis because so many of the bulbs were not producing flowers (often referred to as “blind” bulbs — this happens with Fritillaria as well). Don’t cut the leaves off! If anything, fertilize the plant and let it keep growing until the leaves die back naturally. This may give the bulb enough energy to flower in the future.
For the person who planted 10 weeks ago..sounds too long to wait. Is the bulb planted properly? Can’t bury them..Leave half the bulb above ground. Give plenty of light after it starts to sprout. Tuen the pot daily so it gets even light once it comes up so it will grow straight.
When we received our Amaryllis the leaves were about a inch tall we put it in a will lighted place and watered them regularly. Now it has been about 8 weeks a d the leaves are 12 to 14 inches tall and starting to fall over at the bulb and we have never had any blooms. What happened?
Hi James – It’s now mid-February and I still have two bulbs that are dormant and have yet to sprout. Sometimes amaryllis bulbs send out some leaves before or at the same time as they flower, but usually the flowers come first. It’s unusual for a newly-purchased bulb to produce no flowers. Is it a small bulb? Investing in good-size bulbs that are 4 to 5″ in diameter will ensure you get 2 to 3 stems. I’d give yours another month before tossing it out — maybe it’s just slow.
My red amirilla dont bloom nou.There are 3bulbs in the pot from last year.I gave the pot plant food but nothing happens.There are many leaves but no flowers.Sorry I am afrikaans.
we have an article on our website that explains how to get an amaryllis bulb to re-bloom. You can find it HERE.
Hi. Purchased amaryllis bulbs last year from a reputable garden center and they were lovely. Potted them up and kept outside until early fall. Of the five bulbs I only have one with flowers and the rest have only leaves. Should I just discard them or should I give them another season?
Hi Cyndi – It is so difficult to know what an amaryllis bulb will do. Some people get their bulbs to bloom year after year with seemingly little effort. Others (including me) get the same results as you. Honestly, I don’t know if it’s a matter of the bulbs getting more/less sun, more/less water, more/less fertilizer, more/less attention. I gave my amaryllis bulbs away last spring to someone who was interested in trying their hand at getting them to re-bloom. Have not heard if they were successful or not. I guess what I’m saying is there are no guarantees. Maybe you’ll find the second year is the charm!
My 2 bloomed around holidays, they were beautiful. But since then I have had greens stalks regrow and are about 14 in. And 28 in. 3rd time.
10/6/22
I want to give bulbs to friends so that they flower at Xmas. How can I make this happen? Which bulbs do I use and when do I buy them?
Hi Beverly, As the article explains, if you want flowers before the end of the year, you need to purchase amaryllis bulbs that were grown in the southern hemisphere (usually South Africa or Peru). These should be identified as “early blooming” amaryllis. You can find several of them on our website, identified with a red “early blooming” banner.