Amaryllis Care: How to Get Big Blooms, and How to Make It Flower Again

Amaryllis bulbs are the most generous flowering bulbs you can grow indoors. Planted in autumn, they produce enormous trumpet flowers on thick stems within six to eight weeks, with no greenhouse, no grow light and no particular skill required.

Ready to plant? Shop Amaryllis at Alasines → Free U.S. shipping and a 30-day arrive-alive guarantee.

The only genuinely tricky part is what happens afterwards.

Choosing and potting

Pick a bulb that is firm and heavy. The bigger the bulb, the more flower stems it can push — a really good bulb may send up two or even three.

Use a pot that is only an inch or two wider than the bulb. Amaryllis like to be snug, and an oversized pot holds too much wet compost around the roots. A heavy pot is worth choosing, because a tall amaryllis in bloom can be top-heavy.

Use a free-draining compost. Plant so that roughly one third of the bulb sits above the soil surface — do not bury it to the neck. Water once, until it runs from the drainage holes, then leave it alone.

Watering and light

Until you see the green tip of a flower stem, water only sparingly. The bulb has everything it needs stored inside, and damp soil at this stage is the fastest route to rot.

Once growth is clearly underway, water whenever the top inch of compost dries. Keep the pot in bright, indirect light — a cool room around 65°F (18°C) gives the sturdiest stems. Warmer rooms push fast, floppy growth.

As the stem stretches, rotate the pot a quarter turn every few days so it does not lean towards the window.

Timing blooms for a date

Amaryllis takes roughly six to eight weeks from potting to flowering. Count back from the date you want flowers and plant accordingly. A bulb potted in early November typically flowers around Christmas; one potted in December flowers in late January.

If a stem grows very tall and starts to lean, stake it with a slim cane and a soft tie rather than letting it topple.

After the flowers fade

This is the part most people skip, and it is the reason the bulb never flowers again.

1. Cut off the spent flower head so the plant does not set seed, but keep the thick flower stalk — it keeps feeding the bulb.
2. When the stalk yellows and hollows, cut it back to an inch above the bulb.
3. Keep watering and start feeding with a balanced liquid plant food every two to three weeks.
4. Move the pot outdoors after the last frost, into a spot with morning sun and shelter from strong wind.

Those big strappy leaves are the bulb charging itself for next winter. Let them grow all summer and never cut them off while they are green.

Forcing a rest period

In late summer, stop feeding and gradually reduce water. Bring the pot indoors before the first frost. The leaves will yellow and die back over a few weeks — that is the signal that the bulb is entering dormancy.

Store the pot in a cool, dark place at around 55–60°F (13–16°C) for eight to ten weeks — a garage, cellar or cool closet is ideal. Do not water during this rest.

After the rest, bring the pot back into warmth and light and begin watering sparingly again. New growth usually appears within a few weeks, and the cycle starts over.

Troubleshooting

• Bulb is soft or smells sour — rot from overwatering before growth started. Discard it.
• Leaves but no flower stem — usually not enough stored energy. It needs a full summer of leaf growth in good light.
• Stem grows but buds dry up — often a sudden cold draught, or the pot drying out completely while in bud.
• Flowers smaller than last year — the bulb has not been fed enough during the leaf stage.
• Tiny flies around the pot — fungus gnats, a sign the compost is staying too wet. Let it dry between waterings.

Planting amaryllis outdoors

In USDA zones 8–10, amaryllis can be left in the ground year-round, planted with the neck just above the soil in a sunny, well-drained spot. In cooler zones, grow it in a pot and bring it in before frost — the container method above is the simplest routine to follow.

Ready to start

Our amaryllis bulbs ship ready to pot, and they arrive with the 30-day arrive-alive guarantee that covers every order. If you are building a winter display, browse the full collection — hyacinths and paperwhites follow the same rhythm and stagger beautifully with amaryllis.