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Amaryllis
General Information:
Name: Pronounced AMMA-rillis, Amaryllis is sometimes called Hippeastrum, which means "knight star".
Origin: South and Central America and the Caribbean
Availability: The main season is September to April.
Colors: The amaryllis comes in many beautiful varieties including various shades of red, white, pink, salmon and orange. There are also many striped and multicolored varieties, usually combining shades of pink or red with white.
Vase Life: 7-10 days
Cut Flowers:
Care Tips:
The flower heads are often so large the stems cannot support them. Insert a thin stick inside the hollow stem for support. Buy Amaryllis when still in bud so you can transport them without damaging the flowers. However, if you buy amaryllis already bloomed, just take care with the flowering heads. When placing them down, before putting them in a vase, let the heads hang over the edge of the surface and be gentle with them.The meaty stalk of an Amaryllis sucks up a lot of water, which means the flowers have a water supply within the stalk. This means you can use the Amaryllis as a dry decoration for a limited period. A few stems with fully blown flowers can be placed on a dinner table, or hung upside down above the table, without becoming instantly limp.
Plants:
Taking Care of Amaryllis Plant
After your amaryllis plant has started giving flowers, it is the time to take proper care of it. Read on know some tips for the same.
- Amaryllis comes in a number of varieties. Usually, a single plant has 2-3 stems, each one of them giving 3-4 flowers. You do not require to stake miniature amaryllis, since they reach the height of only 15-20”. However, large amaryllis need support stake, after reaching 2 feet in height.
- After the flowers grown on the amaryllis plant have faded, cut the flower stalk. The stalk should come within 1 inch of the top of the bulb, after pruning.
- Make sure to water and feed the plant on a regular basis. For the purpose, you can make use of a liquid houseplant fertilizer.
- Somewhere around mid-August, start making the watering sessions very infrequent. This will dry the pot completely and help the leaves in dying naturally.
- After the leaves die completely, cut the leaves to about 2 inches from the top of the bulb. Now, remove the bulb from the soil.
- The bulb should be properly cleaned and then stored in a cool, dark and dry place. The storage time will be at least 8 weeks.
- Repot the bulb in fresh potting soil 5-8 weeks before you want the flowers to start blossoming. Thereafter, continue with the steps mentioned under ‘Amaryllis Bulb Growing Tips’ heading.
Fun Facts:
Zodiac: Associated with the star sign Aries, being flamboyantly red.
Greek Mythology: Legend has it that the amaryllis - the stunning red flower we've come to associate with the holidays - began as a shy, timid nymph. Amaryllis fell deeply in love with Alteo, a shepherd with Hercules' strength and Apollo's beauty, but her affections were unrequited. Hoping that she could win him over by bestowing upon him the thing he desired most - a flower so unique it had never existed in the world before - Amaryllis sought advice from the oracle of Delphi.
Following his instructions, Amaryllis dressed in maiden's white and appeared at Alteo's door for 30 nights, each time piercing her heart with a golden arrow. When at last Alteo opened his door, there before him was a striking crimson flower, sprung from the blood of Amaryllis's heart. With this romantic - albeit tragic - tale as its beginning, it's not surprising that today the amaryllis has come to symbolize pride, determination and radiant beauty.
Medicinal: Contains poisonous substances - but perfectly safe to handle.
Language of Flowers: Amaryllis means "splendid beauty" or "pride".
