My good friend Hal Hurka gave us an Amaryllis bulb last year as a thank you gift for some Lenten roses we gave him.
Nancy planted the bulb, and it bloomed the first year with two flowers. A week ago, it bloomed again with three flowers, and it is the epitome of beautiful – delicate, graceful, and inviting. It transformed our porch into an art gallery.
In some places called an Easter lily, the Amaryllis is native to South Africa.
The Amaryllis bulb sends up a thick green shoot and then buds begin to appear in about a month to 6 weeks. The Amaryllis will often bloom 7 to 10 weeks after planting. The best place to keep your Amaryllis once in bloom is in a bright window with cooler temperatures of 60-65 degrees F. They can also be planted in the yard in a shady place such as beneath a pine tree
To get
a house plant started, water the plant once with warm water and store it in a
sunny, bright areas until it starts growing. Once you see growth, you can water
as needed. The gardeners say to repot the bulbs about every three years.
Amaryllis flowers
typically bloom up to 3 weeks, with each flower opening sequentially for a
longer display, so we have about a month to enjoy what I consider the loveliest
flower in our yard.
