What do you gift the gardener friends in your life? Let me suggest a flowering amaryllis bulb or one that is blooming in the plant shoppe. Amaryllis is a tropical bulb that blooms indoors usually in winter season (USDA hardiness zones 9-11). It is a big, beautiful bouquet that is among the easiest plants to grow. A single amaryllis bulb is a flowering dynamo. Simply, you just plant the bulb into a container and add water.

There are many varieties and colors to choose. Usually, local garden centers sell bulbs starting in early fall and offer some already blooming. Bulb size is important. I recommend purchasing large size bulbs over 30 cm across that produce several bloom stalks and greater numbers of flowers. For example, a 34 cm bulb size should produce 2-4 bloom stalks, each bearing 3-4 flowers. The newly potted bulb should flower in 6-8 weeks if room temps are between 68-72°F. Newly purchased amaryllis bulbs should be planted immediately or can be stored over several months in a cool dark (40-50°F) dry place prior to potting.

Select a pot with a wide base, large enough to accommodate the new bulb. Fill the bottom of the container with fresh potting media and set the bulb on top. Finish filling and packing the potting mix. Leave 1-2 inches of the bulb top (the shoulders and neck) exposed. Thoroughly water the potting media to settle the bulb. Place the pot in a cool (60-70°F) location and in bright light indoors or one-half day morning sunlight outdoors. The bulb is dormant and ready to sprout. A bulb potted in early November should be blooming by New Year’s Day.

Continue to water as needed after shoots and flower buds have emerged. Rotate the pot ¼ turn every 4-5 days to keep the stem growing straight up and not bending toward the window light. Avoid overwatering that may cause the amaryllis bulb to rot. The large flowers may become top heavy. If needed, stake the flower stalk for additional support. 

Blooms last longer if you can keep them away from direct sunlight and dry heat. As the individual flowers fade, snip them off with a sharp knife. Eventually, cut back the entire bloom stalk to about an inch above the bulb.

Want to rebloom your amaryllis? Simply stop watering in the fall and store the potted bulb in a cool storage area and very low light for 2-3 months. Clip off the old dried leaves have dried up and the bulb is now dormant. Starting in late January or February, restart the amaryllis by watering it. It should rebloom in 6-10 weeks at room temperature.

Amaryllis bulbs will re-bloom annually in the same pot for several years. After spring freeze and frosts are over, move amaryllis outdoors into ½ day of sunlight (full morning preferred) and protect from drying winds. From spring to early fall, continue to water as needed and feed monthly with a water-soluble fertilizer like Miracle Gro™ or Peters™. Bring the pot back indoors when night temperatures fall below 40°F.

Amaryllis bulbs make great holiday gifts for garden friends and neighbors. Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, an online bulb emporium in Gloucester, VA, lists many colorful varieties in their on-line catalog.