The waterless Amaryllis is starting to rival the poinsettia as a floral choice for the holiday season. We received 2 Red Lion Amaryllis plants last night! They are beautiful bulb plant that produces large, colorful bell-shaped flowers and thrives indoors. No watering! I had seen them before but not often. I thought they were like the Christmas cactus. They are more like tulips actually. I spent this morning studying these gorgeous red flowers.
Most people treat their amaryllis bulbs as "one-and-done" flowers. In truth, they just get better with time. The bulbs get bigger, producing more flower stems. Here are some steps for taking care of your amaryllis year-round.
Waxed Amaryllis bulbs are an innovation from Holland. They have been trendy in Europe for a few years. Now they are increasingly showing up in US stores and catalogs.
Why coat amaryllis bulbs with wax? Because it renders them easy to grow—no water or soil; they could not be more trouble-free. All the nutrients necessary to grow the bloom are already packed in the big round bulb. Possibly the colored wax also makes the plant more beautiful. The coating on the bulb looks jewel-like.
Amaryllis species are tropical and subtropical. Consequently, the Dutch who produce 93% of the world’s bulbs grow their amaryllis in Brazil where conditions are perfect for the plants.
Amaryllis is the only genus in the subtribe Amaryllidinae. It is a small genus of flowering bulbs, with two species. The better known of the two, Amaryllis belladonna, is a native of the Western Cape region of South Africa, particularly the rocky southwest area between the Olifants River Valley and Knysna.
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