Is there anything on this old posting that might help? You need to scroll down by about five posts or so to see a picture plus comments on the growing conditions.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/amaryllishippeastrum/msg0723520515248.html

Local lore is that they need four leaves at least before they'll flower. By what's said in the post listed - a touch of cruelty might also work!

Good luck! They are gorgeous...

thank you for the link but that wasn't my problem.

If they need 4 leaves to bloom, they would have gotten them or not before they were forced into dormancy and shipped.

I didn't give up hope, saw a little green come up again, only to watch it turn brown.

good news: I called VE and they will give me a credit back to the card I used as payment.....yea!

guess I'll remain tempted by temptation until another time

c

You might have found the answer there. 'Forced into dormancy'. If it flowered before it was forced there's a lot of building up again to do. And, if it was accidentally delayed in shipping it could sulk, too.

I know I've bought Hippeastrums after they've flowered and they've been where they've had root confinement - and it's taken lots of feeding, plus a pot big enough for the roots to stretch before they've deigned to flower again. Including the partial rising of leaves you experienced.

Keep going, Cynthia. Try repotting in February, a moderate amount of water, then feed it like a starving teenager when the leaves come through. Just, probably not flowers until the following year. :-(((

Oldish post, just wanted to add my experience from this year. Ordered 10 Minerva kits from touch of nature to be given as blooming Christmas gifts. Planted all 10 at the end of October, all 10 threw out leaves literally right away. Of the 10, 4 bloomed. 40% flowering rate? That is crap. And the ones that did flower were all apple blossom. So, I contacted the company, asking for a refund for the 6 that didn't flower because I'd specified in my order that they were to be given as blooming gifts, which was why I needed them before the end of October. I got an email back saying, just don't water them, I'm sure they will flower. Well almost 8 weeks later, the leaves are dying, and surprise! no new flowers. Of course, there was no comment on my request of a refund.

This post actually reminded me to email him back, so, thanks! Lets see if I get my refund now.

Withholding water wont help them flower, they're giving you awful advice... They should be prepped to flower when you buy them, if they did have scapes forming they may abort without having water for 8 weeks, I would e-mail them again and complain.

I did, they said they're giving me a refund. Hasn't processed through yet if they did. Of course, they offered me 6 more bulbs first. To which I pointed out...it's winter. It's 12 degrees at my house right now. I wonder if he really expected me to say ok? And how many people have said ok to that?