Amaryllis – Hippeastrum spp. (Amaryllis spp.)

Common Name: Amaryllis

Botanical Name: Hippeastrum spp. (Amaryllis spp.), hip-ee-AS-trum

Decorative Life: Ranges from 10 to 24 days with the longer time when being held at 65F.

Flower Color: Pink, Red, White

Availability: Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter

Growers need to be aware that there are many cultivars to select from, most of which can exhibit different postharvest qualities. Harvest when first flower stalk is about 12 inches long.

• Member of the Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis family).
• Native to subtropical South America.
• Common relatives include daffodil, alstroemeria, nerine, clivia and lycoris.

• Flowers are in the form of open trumpets, 3-5 inches across, in groups of 2-5 at stem ends.
• Stems are 18-30 inches long, leafless, hollow.
• Plant is a bulbous perennial, classed as a monocotyledon, leaves mostly parallel veined.
• Flowers are not fragrant.

• Flower forms are categorized as trumpet, belladonna, regina, Leopoldi, miniatures, doubles, and orchid-flowered.
• Commonly grown as a cut flower as well as a potted plant.
• Most cultivated types are probably hybrids.
• Depending on the stage of growth, will generally do well in light levels at least bright enough to read a newspaper in comfort but more light would be better. When arranging in floral foam, insert bamboo stakes into centers of hollow stems for stability.

De Hertogh and Gallitano (1998) report that the best packing material for the bulbs after harvest was one utilizing hout-wol, a type of excelsior, in perforated polyethylene bags held in perforated cardboard boxes.