there is also an Amaryllis forum here - that one has an FAQ sticky...

Thanks. I will check the forum.

The Amaryllis forum is almost all for people growing indoors in the winter. I kind of jumped in there by accident. I do grow Amaryllis outdoors but they're called Amaryllis Belladona- not really native. Weird plants because after growing leaves the leaves die back and you think they're all done. Then a couple months later nice flowers pop up.

I am a butterfly gardener mainly but I do have 3
Pots of hardy Amaryllis.
The bulbs are large and they usually live outdoors
Until I hear the weather is dropping to frost temps.
Then I bring them in usually.

My bulbs have never lived in the ground;they have
Progressed in pots thru size changes,and I like clay
Pots best.
I have left them out sometimes for a entire season.

However,I live down near the Florida line.
I give them bone meal,and I have a private well with
No chlorinated water.

When they are in the house they do have windows
And patio glass door natural light.

DD

The Amaryllis Belladona has naturalized in some states including Kansas, Texas, and California. Huge bulbs- like the size of an onion. Absolutely no maintenance if you plant them in the ground. It's believed to be from South Africa.

I am looking to grow the amaryllis bulbs in the ground, if possible. Do you do anything special to protect the amaryllis bulbs in the winter, CooperDR? How cold does your winter get? In what months do they grow leaves and when do they flower for you? When do they start growing in the spring? Thanks, Karen

The regular amaryllis hybrids can take a little frost if your grow them outside in a sheltered spot. When I lived in Texas they seemed to like being up against the house foundation and didn't mind freezing weather and even a tiny bit of snow now and then. A big clump looks awesome when in bloom.
The 'hardy' amaryllis down there were called saint Joseph lilies (amaryllis x johnsonii) and grew fine out in the open garden, sun or shade, sheltered or not. I tried planting a few out in the open garden in zone 7NY but I think they wanted a little shelter or a better spot since they didn't make it.
I doubt the sonatini strain is anything hardier. I would guess it's just a smaller flowered type but if you really want some educated answers you could try emailing Brent and Becky's. They have a lot of experience with growing amaryllis outdoors and I think they're about a zone 7 and have good luck with them.... Plus know a ton in general about bulbs!

THanks, Kato-b. I will check with B&B. If they are tender in my zone, would I treat them like gladiolus bulbs, digging them up in the fall and store them inside for the winter?

We were given some hardy amaryllis last summer. I put them in pots and they bloomed amazingly, then planted them in the ground after they finished flowering. The bulbs seem fine. Maybe they do better in our mild winters, I don't know.

Did they rebloom for you in the ground, sountherngardening24? Where are you located?

Karen- even below zero farenheight. Never even had to cover them. I actually had to thin them out a couple times. They grow leaves in the spring like most bulbs but then after a month or two they just turn brown and you think they're all done- but then stems and nice Amaryllis flowers come up probably in the middle or later part of summer. They're pink. People here call them Pink Ladies.

How interesting! They sound like my colchicums. I can't wait to grow them in my garden. How deep do you plant the bulbs? Some say at ground level and others say deeper in colder areas. But how deep? Thanks, CooperDR.

Well not deep at all- pretty much with the tips at ground-level. Also the seem to like very dense dirt- almost muddy.

Word to the wise - make sure you are talking about amaryllis (like the naked ladies) and not hippeastrum (usually sonatini are hippestrum) as hippestrum are much less cold tolerant and will normally rot in cold temps with wet feet. - J

They're called Amaryllis Belladona. Pink Ladies, Naked Ladies- same thing.

kousa: I just saw that you asked me a question. Sorry it took so long. They did not rebloom. I didn't know they could rebloom.

Naked ladies in this part of the country (east Texas) are Lycoris squamigera, not amaryllis belladona.

And the hardy amaryllis that we grow here are hippeastrum x johnsonii (St. Joseph's lily). I've read that it's hardy to zone 6b.

The ones I have were here when I moved here in central Kansas. My neighbor told me what they were. I don't know if they're just in my neighborhood.

Unfortunately, I do not believe the amarayllis that I wish to grow is the same as the ones that you are referring, CooperDR. I believe Amaryllis belladonna is in a different genus from the Hippeastrum Sonatini though they maybe in the same Amaryllidaceae Family.

I have the pass along St Joseph lily that is hardy, I'm in NC. Going to be digging and dividing anyone interested email me. jo

Hi Jo! I would be very interested in your St. Joseph Lily. Would you want a trade or send them for postage? I can do either. Please send me message as you don't have your message option activated.

we had some in the backyard at a house in stockton - pink amaryllis " naked ladies" they would bloom their stalks and the leaves would come up later on. we did get to freeezing temps in the winter - didn't do anything for them.

Jo, I'd like some of your amaryllis in trade or for postage. Please check my trade list and email me susanmruppert@gmail.com if interested. Thanks, Susan