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awhite522

Do Amaryllis actually NEED to go dormant?

8 years ago

Just bought my first ever amaryllis a couple of weeks ago and plan to plant it this week, it's an apple blossom amaryllis. I want to keep it alive and bloom for years to come hopefully.

I've been reading up on care and basically from what I understand its basically plant it leaving 1/3 of the bulb exposed, water sparingly until it starts growing, bright light until it flowers, when flowering is done cut back flower but leave foliage and give it lots of sunshine outside. But then everywhere I look it says to stop watering late summer to force it to go dormant for 8 weeks and keep in 50f dark dry space.

So i'm wondering does it actually need to go dormant? and what happens if does not go dormant and when it gets cool outside I move it to a large southern bright window alongside my other houseplants? If it does not go dormant will it not bloom again, or is this done just to get it to bloom at a certain time and what's better for overall bulb health? Curious about this since I thought it's tropical and there's no real dormant season like here up North in the winter. Also I heard to keep it in a dry and dark place but some say 50f other say 55f and ive even hear up to 60f...what is the highest temp and lowest temp (too cold in fridge and possibly in garage in winter) I can store it for dormancy if it is necessary?

Thanks, hopefully some amaryllis experts can give me some tips!

Comments (3)

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    The condition "dormancy" is, in respect to the majority of Hippeastrums, including all the TETraploid Dutch "Gardeners' Amaryllis" hybrids -

    ALREADY fullfilled by a prolonged period at 13° Celsius and 9 to 17° Celsius respectively, with very sparse watering perfectly from below . During which period the crop will not even loose its leaves.

    The removal of the leaf crown is technically required BUT for a dry storage without light - for the inconvenience of handling 100s and 1000s of bulbs during a lack of appropriate locations indoors, if not even as bare bulbs without Substrate for commercial purposes.

    And it allows for a closer inspection of the bulb and for sanitizing measures.

    The most promising Approach for a year around cultivation is imho: At the windowsill with substrate heating by the central heating unit underneath, up to 27° Celsius, during November to May of the new year, then relocation to outside at a place shielded from rain, and then you will obtain new bloom 3 months later. One of my specimens of "Flamenco Queen" surprised me with a late Bloom in October, outside that was, and now, after re-relocation to the windowsill, I am about to obtain one scape more.

    A W thanked haweha
  • 8 years ago

    Thanks for the reply! Hopefully you can follow up with my questions:

    So from what you just said if I understand correctly:

    1) The dormant/resting temp is 9 to 17° Celsius but the ideal being 13°, and as long as their is light it might not even lose its leaves. When you say very sparse watering, do you mean like barely moist, say a little bit of water when soil on the top is 1-2" dry?

    2) Still a bit confused about the 2nd part of your answer:

    So if I plant my bulb this week in 6-8 weeks ill get blooms, it will be mid february.

    Then I would keep it inside until May at a bright window. You mentioned keeping substrate warm up to 27°, would keeping it right above the heating vent be okay or would the blowing dry warm air with low humidity affect the leaves/bulb?


    So then in May I would take it outside for the summer.


    What would I do in October when it starts getting cold:

    A) would I transition it back to a warm sunny window?

    or

    B) would I move it to a bright spot inside that's usually 15° (it's in the 13° to 17° Celsius range) for 8 weeks, and keep it barely moist where it might not lose any leaves? and only after this period I would move it to bright warm sunny window and repeat the process.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I will likely provide an extended response later. For now: The substrate temperature "high", but, if it is even technically possible, the air temperature some degrees lower.

    Commercial production of Hippeastrum bulbs in Greeenhouses had technically made a huge step forwards, in The Netherlands, when it was observed, that substrate heating does the work: The success is all about keeping the bulb and its roots warm, whereas the leaves will not profit as much, quite the contrary, they will grow lean, long, watery, likely to collapse and will not be very durable. Particularly the leaves of famous "Appleblossom" is very prone (notorious) - and these always require some mechanical support.

    Therefore, the main heating is being accomplished via pipes deep in the substrate, with heated water circulating through them. This also saves a huge amount of Money.

    A W thanked haweha
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