Amaryllis plants are members of the Amaryllidaceae plant family. These plants are prized by home gardeners for their large, showy flowers that range in color from crimson to white. Amaryllis are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11 and grow best in bright, indirect light when grown indoors or filtered sunlight and shaded locations when planted outdoors. Home gardeners can propagate amaryllis plants themselves. Propagation is typically done by seed or by cuttage.
Wait for the seed pods to yellow and split open, revealing the black seeds inside, and remove the pods from your amaryllis plant. This typically occurs four to five weeks after pollination.
Allow the seeds to dry for a few days prior to planting. Prepare small pots that are about 4 to 5 inches in diameter by filling them with a moist, well-draining planting medium such as coarse sand and peat or vermiculite.
Remove the seeds from the pod, and plant them in your prepared pots or flats. Place the containers in a location that is partly shaded until germination.
Move your plant each day after germination, increasing the amount of light until your seedling is in full sun.
Feed seedlings every other week with a complete liquid fertilizer diluted to half-strength.
Allow your plant to grow in containers for one year before planting in the garden. When planting outdoors, use a soil mix that is rich in organic matter, such as two parts loam soil to one part perlite and one part well-rotted manure, leaf mold, composted wood material or peat.
Dig out established bulbs between July and November after they have flowered.
Cut your bulb vertically into at least four sections using a sharp knife. Amaryllis plants have thick bulb scales that are attached to the basal plate, similar to onions. Make sure that two or more scales are attached to the basal plate of each cutting.
Prepare a 5- to 6-inch-diameter pot by filling it with a well-drained medium such as a peat and sand mixture or vermiculite.
Plant each cutting into its own pot with the basal plate face down. Cover one-third of the cutting with your planting medium, and water thoroughly so that the soil is moist but not soggy.
Keep the cuttings warm and moist to encourage development of the root system, and place pots in a shaded location. In about four to eight weeks you should see bulblets forming between the scales. New leaves should sprout soon after. Do not fertilize until your plant produces buds.
Things You Will Need
- 4- to 6-inch pots
- Peat and sand or vermiculite
- Liquid fertilizer
- Sharp knife
- Amaryllis plants are also propagated by offsets, which are planted in a similar manner as cuttage, except offsets are bulblets that are removed from the main plant bulb. These bulblets are typically one-fourth to one-third the size of the main or “mother” bulb. Dig out the bulb of established plants in the fall, after the leaves begin to turn yellow and brown. Break or cut the offsets from established bulbs, and plant immediately.
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