Growing amaryllis outdoors. Hippeastrum species and hybrids. Planting amaryllis bulbs in garden beds. How to grow hardy amaryllis plants and large flowered amaryllis outside.
Being native to South Africa, all amaryllis bulbs (including Amaryllis belladonna) may be planted in the open ground in frost free zones. Hardy amaryllis, Hippeastrum x johnsonii, will survive outdoors in the ground in zones 6a to 11.
They can be grown in the ground in colder areas as long as you lift and store them before the first freeze.
A bed of amaryllis plants in full bloom is a gorgeous sight. Here in central Florida, amaryllis growing in beds and borders is a common sight in the spring.
Amaryllis bulbs should always be planted in large clumps or drifts. If you only have a few bulbs, space them out and plant annuals between them to fill the bed in the early years. The bulbs multiply fairly quickly. With good care they will fill the planting area in a few, short years.
Fall is the best time for planting amaryllis as they bloom in the spring.
Enrich the soil with organic matter. Set the bulbs 1/3 deep into rich, friable soil. The top two thirds of the bulb (the neck and shoulders) will be above the soil while its fat bottom will be in the soil. This seems strange but if you bury the bulbs too deeply, they may not bloom.
Space the bulbs at least 3 inches apart.
Water the bed gently just to settle the soil around the amaryllis bulbs. Water sparingly until you see the bloom stalks pushing up from the necks of the bulbs. Then begin to keep the soil moist.
Do not let water stand in the planting bed or the bulbs may rot.
If leaves form on a growing amaryllis but no bloom stalks are forthcoming, the plant may be getting too much water.
If you live in a windy area, stake the growing amaryllis flowers so that the stalks do not break. Push the stakes into the soil carefully so as not to damage the bulbs.
Fertilize the bed after the plants finish blooming.
I cut the stalks back to neaten the bed and to keep seed from forming at this time but you could leave them in place if you want to harvest seed.
Amaryllis Plant
The lily commonly known as the amaryllis plant is actually grown from a Hippeastrum bulb. The true Amaryllis is the belladonna lily, Amaryllis belladonna, which has smaller flowers.
