How long do you have to wait for Hippeastrum / Amaryllis to bloom?

In Hippeastrum: the Gardener’s Amaryllis, the author writes, “The number of days from planting to flowering depends on the plant’s genetic constitution, preparation given prior to purchase, and environmental and cultural conditions after planting. Four weeks from planting to flowering is considered particularly fast, five to six desirable and seven weeks acceptable for potted plants.”

Jill Fielder of Leafari says her company sources some of its amaryllis from an Israeli grower whose cultivars flower in 4-6 weeks, while other varieties take six to eight weeks, or longer. “All are propagated/grown in the same environment, so conditions are only part of the equation when looking at weeks needed to bloom,” she says. “Hippeastrumpapilio (Butterfly amaryllis) is super slow to bloom, often taking three to four months, regardless of where it’s propagated/grown. It’s just the nature of this variety.”

Depending on what the purpose of your purchase is — a gift or your own holiday decoration — stage of bloom is key. It’s not an exact science in a home environment, but a bulb with a short stem showing a plump flower bud should bloom in a few weeks as the stem elongates and the bud plumps up.

Timing

Online sources in the U.S. categorize the early bloomers as those sourced from the Southern Hemisphere, usually South Africa and/or Peru. Alternatively, the bulbs to bloom in a short period could be called Christmas-blooming. If you are trying to time your flower’s bloom within a week or two, it’s best to ask.

According to Ann Marie Rainer of Amaryllis and Caladium Bulb Co.(http://www.amaryllis.com/), the Christmas-blooming bulbs can typically flower in five weeks, depending on room temperature. “The warmer they are, the more quickly they break dormancy and send up a bloom stalk,” she says. “If you have the bulbs in hand, but want to hold them for a few weeks, they can be stored in a refrigerator to keep them from starting before you are ready.”

White Flower Farm offers a wide selection of early-and late-flowering Hippeastrum varieties. Lorraine Calder, White Flower Farm president, says, “Of all the colors now available, red is still the best seller, although double-petaled flowers are also favorites. There is something about red and the time of year.” She continues, “Peach tones are being worked on by one or two hybridizers. Customers like them but are not crazy about them.”

Hippeastrum Terra Cotta Star ®  Photo by Longfield Gardens

Modern day Hippeastrum hybrids are a lot more compact, reaching no taller than 24 inches. Their predecessors were repurposed varieties from the cut flower market, and were almost impossible to keep upright.  Hybrids have exploded in variety since the days of trussing up potted amaryllis. Today there are singles, doubles, outward-facing, ruffled, and bi-colored flowers; plus miniatures and multi-stemmed cultivars. Choosing just one nearly impossible.