Remove the foliage and lift the bulb. Down here they never go dormant, they are perennial.

Why force dormancy?
They are ever green here.
Some do cut leaves to improve the looks.
Should dormancy be enforced?.
ARIF

If you want an Amaryllis to flower at a particular time then you have to force it by imposing a dormancy. Otherwise it will flower when it feels like it and that won't be in the middle of winter for most people.

There is a school of thought that you can get bigger flowers by bringing in the still green plant and putting it in a sunny window for several months. You can even let it dry up in that location to the point that the leaves finally die. The leaves will absorb the energy into the bulb. This has worked for me in the past. It does mean that these bulbs will not produce flowers as soon as if you cut the folliage back or let th frost kill the leaves.

Amaryllis species that come from regions that don't have a dry season or a cold season are probably not genetically programmed to go dormant. It can be hard to control when it blooms, though, as you don't have information on what does trigger its blooming cycle, or even the time of year that it normally blooms. I've had them bloom twice in one year without ever going dormant; I've had others bloom and then go dormant. Go figure.

A healthy knight star lily does not lose its leaves so easily, provided it is not unpotted/lifted. Even after a rather prolonged period of water withholding.

This observation has been discussed repeatedly since the last 1 1/2 years in the GW and it should be finally be accepted and slip into internalized basic knowledge of seriously interested knight star lily lovers...

This statement implicates the other un-golden side of this medal - the question why your Amaryllis,

Anna,

DID lose their leaves?!
I have the sneaking suspicion that there is some disorder with these bulbs, and you should try to get clearness on that and investigate some of your bulbs. If you find a hole at the side of the basal plate the respective bulb has been destroyed by the maggot of the big narcissus bulb fly. Sorry, you should examine that - for the sake of your subsequent next year's amaryllis generation.

Hans-Werner

As has been suggested by several people, Amaryllis do not have a natural dormancy period, and it is not required. You can force flowering at a specific time if you want, but again, it's not required. Those of us in warmer climates often let them grow year round, and they typically flower twice a year. Mine go in spring and fall. It's your choice on what to do with your plant. Try each way and see what you prefer.

Hans-Werner - I examined one of my bulbs that did go dormant late summer (leaves yellowed and died). Not only does it look quite healthy - but had several "babies" attached to it. Very happy about that, as it is the gorgeous Apple Blossom. I am planning to repot and water at the end of the month. I guess it will just be an experiment.

Meanwhile, the bulb in question, Lady Jane, still bears big healthy leaves. Hmm....

Andy: I wouldn't mind getting mine to bloom twice a year. I also live in the SF Bay Area. Do you have them in pots or on the ground? If in pots, do you leave them outside year-round? If on the ground, do you protect them from excess rain in winter and do you water them in summer? Thanks,

Daniel

Mine are in pots. I give them as much direct sun as possible, including during winter, but I bring them in or put them in a sheltered spot during nights when there's a danger of frost.

I have not grown them in the ground, but yes, they would require good drainage at all times and you would need to water them in the summer unless you wanted to force flowering.

Anna, many of my Hippeastrum, all grown in pots and moved outside for the summer, lose their leaves as temps dip in the fall. I believe they go dormant due to the colder weather. Appleblossom always loses its leaves in the fall here, and usually does so earlier than the other hybrids. I hear Hippeastrum also lose their leaves over the winter (due to cold temps) when they're grown in the ground at the limit of their cold hardiness--but I have no personal experience with growing these bulbs in the ground year-round. If your bulbs seem firm and healthy, don't show signs of bulb fly infestation and don't have serious red blotch issues, I'd imagine they've entered a cold-induced dormancy. Please note, though, that I don't KNOW this. I'm basing much of the above on personal observation.

I hope you'll post again when you wake yours up. I've always had more trouble waking Hippeastrum bulbs after a cold-induced dormancy than I've had bringing them out of dry-induced dormancy. I don't know why...hopefully you won't have the same experience.

I've been trying to bring mine in earlier now, and keep them evergreen. I find it easier, but that's just me. I used to force dormancy each fall and yes, there were always a few that refused to lose their leaves. Hard to watch!

Incidentally, Lady Jane blooms twice each year for me. I keep it evergreen, or as evergreen as possible (it gets ratty in late summer). It sends up bloom stalks in late winter, several months after I bring it inside. Then, in mid spring, when temps are still in the high 40's, F, at night, I stick it back outside. The cooler night temperatures induce a late spring or summer bloom.

I always acquire a few more each fall, though, too. Just in case. :)

Amanda

Can someone explain to me how the amarylis in WalMart has poked it's head out of the box, and is blooming like crazy?

No soil, no water, save condensation over night, as they have them out in the greenhouse area now. The most beautiful flower, pink and white, in a big cluster of 4 or 5 blooms.

It just makes you want to cry. Could I plant this bulb next year, and expect it to produce? I grow them in the ground here, and they stay green all year. And usually bloom twice a year.

Janie

Amanda - There is no such thing as cold-induced dormancy with Hippeastrum. They do not have a true dormancy per se, in the sense that tulips do, although the cold will slow down their growth and development. What you might be observing is that the cold is causing the leaves to die and that's forcing the bloom. Bring your plants in earlier and you can probably maintain the leaves all year round.

Janie - Bulbs are giant food storage mechanisms. The flower buds actually form over the 18 months prior to bloom and are ready to pop out when the bulbs are shipped to the store. From that point they can bloom unaided and unplanted using only the food stored in the bulb as a source of energy and water.

Just to throw a little light... My experiance says you can manipulate Amaryllis to flower when you want them to. To do that put your bulb in a brown paper packer with a few air holes so that they don't come into contact with any food, and place in your fridge. The temperature should be around 5C - never below freezing. This will fool the bulbs into believing it is still winter, thus keeping them dormant.
The bulb will flower 5 to 6 weeks after potting up.
If you need more detailed help how to control temperature, how much constant temperature should be maintained for growing Amaryllis, how much temperature should be maintained for long lasting flower, how to enhance blooming, how to stop blooming in the middle of the way, how to get the flowers of Amaryllis anytime. Feel free to ask me.

With Best Wishes,
Ammar.

Ammar, how long in the fridge?
Thanks, Dave

Speaking of the Wal Mart amaryllis which was flowering on its own from inside the box...

Last year I forgot about three bulbs, red Hercules, in our garage. They were in their boxes inside a paper bag. When I found them I thought that this was hopeless. Upon opening the packages I discovered that each bulb had put out two strong flower stalks. The stalks and flower buds were pure white (no chlorophyll) and were wrapped around the bulbs. So I potted them together in a large terra cotta pot and set them in the sunniest place in the kitchen, and got out my camera. It took them about ten days to fully straighten up and turn green. I photographed their progress every day. And we had a beautiful display of perfect red flowers after a few weeks. I still don't quite understand bulbs!