How To Get Indoor Amaryllis/Hippeastrum To Bloom

By mcash70
February 26, 2014

I have heard a lot of folks say that they cannot get their Amaryllis/Hippeastrum to bloom the second or third year, and I was very surprised to be told by a saleslady at a garden center that she was unsuccessful.

[View the item]

Image
Feb 27, 2014 1:38 PM CST
Name: Dirt
(Zone 5b)
Region: Utah Bee Lover Garden Photography Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Photo Contest Winner: 2016
Photo Contest Winner 2018 Photo Contest Winner 2019 Photo Contest Winner 2020 Photo Contest Winner 2021 Photo Contest Winner 2022 Photo Contest Winner 2023
Only the Papilio reliably stays green for me all year (except this year when I stole his pot for another plant).
The others are variable.
Sometimes they only lose two or three of the lower leaves before they start with a bloom stalk/new leaves combo in the center. When they do that, I don't decrease their watering and I just cut off the leaves once they die, and I get around to it. The one on the left in the picture above was like that this year. And I have three others not pictured that are like that this year as well, but they are mostly green leaves right now with just little nubs of a bloom stalk.
Sometimes they stay green thru about January, then start turning yellow from the bottom up, lose all leaves over the course of a couple weeks, and then send up bloom stalk/new leaves within 2-3 wks of the last leaf dying. The other two in the picture above did that this year. When they do that, I don't water for a couple weeks.

And yes, I just leave them in the windows year-round. There is a purple smoke bush that eats the house in the summer right outside that window so they don't cook as much as you might imagine, and the others are slightly shaded with either a curtain of sorts or the porch overhang.
Last edited by dirtdorphins Mar 2, 2014 10:15 PM Icon for preview
Image
Feb 27, 2014 2:16 PM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
My bay window faces SW and I have bright sun from around 1pm until the sun sets which in summertime is around 9 to 9:30 pm, I have to keep the draperies closed as it get really hot in the living room, temperature can get up to 125 behind those drapes so I have to remove the plants on the really hot days as soon as the sun hits the window or they get fried, then I put them back when the sun sets. Winter time it is the opposite, gets too cold at night so I have to remove them at sunset, I get a lot of exercise moving those plants back and forth. Hilarious!
Image
Feb 27, 2014 10:04 PM CST
Name: Dirt
(Zone 5b)
Region: Utah Bee Lover Garden Photography Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Photo Contest Winner: 2016
Photo Contest Winner 2018 Photo Contest Winner 2019 Photo Contest Winner 2020 Photo Contest Winner 2021 Photo Contest Winner 2022 Photo Contest Winner 2023
Hilarious! Well I just use the AC in the summer and the heat in the winter ...
I do haul most all of the big tropicals outside for the summers though, and back in again
Last edited by dirtdorphins Feb 27, 2014 10:06 PM Icon for preview
Image
Feb 28, 2014 12:01 AM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
Well.. I use heat in winter too, Glare but it stays darn cold behind those closed draperies, especially when it is -20f/-25f, and we are not about to get AC for maybe a week or so of 95f. each year. Hilarious! We do have a portable unit, still enough to fry eggs behind those draperies. Rolling on the floor laughing
Besides the Amaryllis I have 2 Dieffenbachia plants, they stay in doors year round. nodding
Image
Feb 28, 2014 6:39 AM CST
Surprisingly GREEN Pittsburgh (Zone 6a)
Rabbit Keeper Bee Lover Cat Lover Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Butterflies Hummingbirder
Dog Lover Birds Plant and/or Seed Trader Bulbs Echinacea Irises
You're not near the coast, I take it.....
SHOW ME YOUR CRITTERS! I have a critter page over at Cubits. http://cubits.org/crittergarde...
Image
Feb 28, 2014 9:59 AM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
No critter, I live in the interior, about 200 miles from the coast.
Image
Feb 28, 2014 10:21 AM CST
Surprisingly GREEN Pittsburgh (Zone 6a)
Rabbit Keeper Bee Lover Cat Lover Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Butterflies Hummingbirder
Dog Lover Birds Plant and/or Seed Trader Bulbs Echinacea Irises
I always pictured you outside of Vancouver. But that's probably because I want to go to Vancouver. Would seriously consider relocating there.
SHOW ME YOUR CRITTERS! I have a critter page over at Cubits. http://cubits.org/crittergarde...
Image
Feb 28, 2014 10:37 AM CST
Name: Margaret
Near Kamloops, BC, Canada (Zone 3a)
Region: Canadian Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Tip Photographer Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member
Morning Glories Critters Allowed Birds Houseplants Butterflies Garden Photography
If I lived closer to the coast my hardiness zone would be 6/ 8, not the measly little 3a that I have here. Glare Hilarious!
Image
Feb 28, 2014 4:06 PM CST
Surprisingly GREEN Pittsburgh (Zone 6a)
Rabbit Keeper Bee Lover Cat Lover Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Butterflies Hummingbirder
Dog Lover Birds Plant and/or Seed Trader Bulbs Echinacea Irises
I never noticed the zone on your posts, just the BC.....
Selective thinking!
SHOW ME YOUR CRITTERS! I have a critter page over at Cubits. http://cubits.org/crittergarde...

You must first create a username and login before you can reply to this thread.
  • Started by: quietyard
  • Replies: 28, views: 1,659
Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )

Today's site banner is by mcash70 and is called "Queen Ann's Lace"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.