Awesome Amaryllis

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Flowers aren't just for the warm season! Enjoy beautiful blooms indoors this winter with flowering bulbs.

Stunning Amaryllis

This is the time to plant amaryllis for winter bloom! These festive flowers like to be pot-bound, so choose a well-draining container that's only 1 or 2 inches wider than the bulb, such as a terracotta pot and saucer.

Amaryllis are tropical plants, and no chilling is required. Plant the bulb in houseplant soil, leaving the top third sticking out of the dirt. Stick a support stake in alongside it, so that it will be ready once the plant blooms. Water your amaryllis well to stimulate root growth, but don't water it again until you see green leaves starting to push out of the top, or the bulb may rot. Keep it in a warm spot with bright, indirect light. Amaryllis bloom 6-12 weeks after planting.

Pictured above are the types that we have in stock or arriving this week. From top left to bottom right:

Double Elvas
A single/triple petaled type. So elegant that it almost looks artificial!

Flamenco Queen
If you plan to stagger your Amaryllis for winter-long bloom, Flamenco Queen makes an intriguing alternative to Valentine's Day roses.

Black Pearl
A velvety shade of merlot, Black Pearl can produce flowers that top eight inches across!

Apricot Parfait
A peach variation on the more traditional shades of Amaryllis. Apricot Parfait makes a great midwinter pick-me-up.

Minerva
The classic Christmas flower and one of the oldest Amaryllis hybrids, Minerva often sends up more than one stalk.

Clown
A playful inversion of Minerva's classic colors, Clown is candy striped and cheerful!

Apple Blossom
Delicately pink flowers adorn this charming amaryllis, a reminder that spring is just around the corner.

Red Lion
Produces at least two stalks per bulb for a stunning flower show!

Kelly's Amaryllis Tips

Some people treat their amaryllis as one-and-done, tossing them after they finish blooming, but it's easy to keep them going year after year! Kelly, our resident "horticulturist-in-training," received hers as a gift from her mother eight or nine years ago, and it's been growing (and multiplying!) in her care ever since. Although its been divided before, it grew so many bulbs this year that it split its pot! Here it is in its full glory:

Her secret? Benign neglect! She keeps it in a bright spot indoors, but not in direct sunlight. About the time that it's warm enough to transplant tomatoes out to the garden she puts it outside in a sunny spot, and she doesn't bring it in again until just before the first frost. You can fertilize it with half-strength fertilizer during the growing season when you water, but even that isn't strictly necessary.

More recently she added a second amaryllis variety to the pot with her original bulbs. Different varieties bloom at different times, and you can create a longer flower show by mixing types. For Kelly, the white flowers appear just as the red flowers are fading.

She added that amaryllis make a great gift. "I love that it came from my mom. I think about her thoughtfulness so often when I see it."

Perfumed Paperwhites

Paperwhite narcissus are a kind of daffodil that require no chilling in order to bloom. They won't survive the winter outdoors, but put them in water and they'll produce a gorgeous flush of pure white, beautifully fragrant flowers that lasts for a week or two. Here's how to do it:

1. You'll need an attractive, watertight container. Glass vases are useful for keeping an eye on the water level. You'll also need some decorative marbles or pebbles, and at least three paperwhite bulbs per container that you plan to plant. You can store paperwhite bulbs in a paper bag at room temperature for up to four months.

2. Put some marbles or stones in the bottom of the container. Place the paperwhite bulbs on top and add just enough water to cover the root area of the bulb. Don't add more than this, or the bulb will rot.

3. Fill in around the bulbs until the marbles or stones are level with the tops of the bulbs. If you like, you can tuck a little decorative moss in around them as well.

4. Put the bulbs in a warm, sunny spot and keep the water topped up to root level. Paperwhites bloom 4-6 weeks after planting. The flowers will last longer if you move the plants out of direct sunlight just as the buds begin to open.

5. If the flowers flop, stick a small plant stake into the marbles/pebbles and loosely tie the flower stalks in place to support smaller displays. You can also tie a decorative ribbon around the plants to hold them all upright, or plant them deep in a tall glass vase so that the sides support them.

6. Paperwhites are discarded after bloom, but you can plant more bulbs at intervals all winter long for an ongoing show.

Paperwhites also make a thoughtful and creative wintertime gift. Just sprout a bulb in a small gift container and include a note with care instructions.

After all, what could be more cheery than something green and flowering during the dormant season?

Make the holiday season bright with workshops at Hoerr Nursery! We'll show you how to decorate your own Christmas wreath or porch pot, with all materials provided. Workshops will be held in the garden house. Face masks are required. We'll be spacing parties farther apart this year, so availability is limited. Sign up to save your spot!