In my experience, they won’t bloom for some time after they’ve been re-potted, I always have to wait until the following year. So you’ll get the leaves, they’ll eventually fade away, plant will look dead, then next year you’ll get a new set of leaves and you’ll likely get a flower spike at that time... so long as you don’t move the bulb from it’s pot... they like to be crowded. My mom planted one in her yard in north Florida, she didn’t know what it was at the time, she found it as a bulb washed up on shore... it took four or five years to bloom, I recall she was about to dig it up and toss it because she didn’t want to give an unknown and unblooming flower prime real estate... she was so glad she didn’t dig it up! It was glorious once it started blooming! I’m pretty sure they’re tropical though so you shouldn’t plant it outside in your climate.

Definitely grow it in pots in VT as they will not tolerate our COLD Northeast winters (I'm in Cambridge, MA). It's a good thing that it's growing leaves, that means this it's growing roots. Give it a little more time and warmth and maybe you'll get some blooms soon :-)))

I got it three years ago, it blossomed the first year, then after it died back, I stored it in a cool, dry place. I forgot it last year, and brought it out and began watering it this year.

I live in Indianapolis, I just leave mine in the pot (indoors) year round, I don’t take it out to store it. I’ve had the same one going about seven years. Twice it didn’t bloom for a year, always when I messed with the bulb. (Once I repotted it, another time I inspected the bulb for some reason or another, both times it took an additional year to flower.) so I don’t give mine a chill, I just let it go through a dry spell periodically. (Usually around fall to early winter I give it very little water) mine sent up new leaves just a couple of weeks ago, no stalk yet.

I found if I got leaves before a bloom stalk, then it is not going to bloom this time.

I repot as they are coming out of dormancy and it has not affected flowering . If your bulb was stored for a year without water, light or food, it is probably stressed. It might be taking two years for the bulb to have enough energy to flower.

Yep keep em indoors, near a window, don't over water, if anything keep em on the drier side specially in the winter, nothing to worry about just be patient it will build strength and flower beautifully for you. If fertilized eventually it will produce seeds and then you can have more gorgeous flowers to bring you joy. What color is yours? want some seeds? mines red single pedal. I've seen some double pedal pink and whites Ohhhh love them.

Cyntia, mine is also red. First year, I had six gorgeous blossoms.

I don't think I've seen a six headed bloom, mine usually do 4 flowers sometimes 3 but, that's wonderful I bet it was gorgeous. It gives me something to work towards. They really helps brighten things up don't they :)

6 headed ruby star, a 1st year bulb Spring 2018.

This was mine last March. I was rather late getting them potted. It was stored dry in the crisper drawer through the summer. I usually plant them by Nov. As for your question about planting it outside, there are special kinds which do go outside in the ground but they are rather rare to find. I have one out in the yard now. I got from Lowes, but they don't carry them every year. It failed to bloom last year so this time around I remembered to cover it in mulch to protect it until warm weather. I am located in zone 7 Southside Virginia.

simply lovely, amazing plant thanks for pics! Harold, do update us on what happens to your outdoor bulb :)

Thank you. I have been searching for photos on my phone but will check my home computer after work.

sandee sandee sandee :-)

you forgot it, oh you little rascal do not worry it's going to be A ok.

I took my Apple Blossom Amaryllis on January 8, 2019 from cold room and today there are 3 stalks with 4 flowers each stalk. Stalks are 24 inches tall and very very thick. Don't plant your bulbs to deep but water the soil and wait couple of weeks. They will wake up and bloom. But, talk to your bulbs sometime, don't just leave them alone :-) . Best wishes

Hi Cyntia. The leaves on my yard amaryllis grew to only about 4 inches. The flower was on a 2-inch stalk and it only opened about halfway. I would sure love to know what causes that to happen. Now the plant is growing nice leaves 12 inches long so perhaps it will generate plenty of energy for next year's proper bloom.

Sandee, you are lucky to still have yours alive. It will build itself back up, just care for it like is normally recommended for carrying bulbs over from year to year. You don't have to unpot or repot it either. You will want a good full fan of leaves for quite a while to rebuild the bulb. You are not likely to get any flowers until it recovers; so please be patient.

One lady I knew long ago kept her hippeastrums growing for quite a while after blooming (IIRC she had large south windows) and then rested them dry in her attic, until it was time to start them again for the next holiday season. They stayed in the same pots for years and many of them had offshoots as well, real crowded. She had her timing down real well.

This year I am going to try some of the Sonatinis from Brent and Becky. They are smaller than regular hips and sound like they need a bit different culture. I intend to put mine in 6" pots once they arrive I am getting several, intending to gift a few. There are also three of the older types already under lights here. They all have leaves so I intend to "feed them up" a bit. I sorta doubt any of them will bloom this winter.

Hey Harold, it sounds like your plant took a bit of a hit at first but is establishing itself. You should have beautiful blooms in no time!

Thanks Cyntia, but it is not new. I've had this bulb 4 or 5 years. I think this was the second time it grew short. It is getting watered 3 times weekly during the Summer and it just occurred to me that maybe I should give it another shot of fertilizer while the leaves are growing so strong. I am in southside VA and we still have plenty of hot Summer left.

Newbie here with query -- I have two pots of amaryllis which are so crowded that the plastic pots have split. Started with one bulb in each about 8-10 years ago, now each pot has 5-8 huge bulba and several smaller ones. They have had wonderful blooms. But with this severe crowding, I think they ought to be dealt with. Should I attempt to separate the bulbs and pot individually, or in groups of two or three? Or simply put the two clumps each in a slightly larger pot, without separating them ??

Thanks for any suggestions! I am in Massachusetts.

Hi Roxana,

Welcome to the group :-))) I suppose it's a matter of taste, but I kinda think they look very nice when they're flowering from a nice clump. In either case I wouldn't separate or put them in a larger pot now since they're headed for their winter dormancy period. It would be best to do it just as you bring them out of dormancy in late winter/early spring, that way they'll have a better chance of warmer conditions, new growth and roots. This is what I do and I grow mine in pots exclusively in Cambridge MA. I hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply, and the welcome, Fred! I agree with you about the large clumps looking fabulous. I shall leave them as you suggest, but need to put the clumps into new pots as the original ones are deteriorating to the point of crumbling.

Will it be okay to re-pot the clumps in a slightly deeper pot but not much wider? I'm having trouble finding an appropriate pair of pots...

Also -- regarding dormancy -- do you put yours in the dark, or keep them under lights over the winter?

Hi Roxanna,

I would definitely put them in a slightly bigger pot just to hold things together and within a few weeks or so, stop watering them and allow the leaves to yellow and dry. I usually gather my pots (around 50+...oy my back) up around early October, put them in the basement with the windows open and slowly let them dry out. Last year it was a bit warmer and more humid than I wanted so a placed a box fan on the floor towards them on medium to help with the drying out process. I usually let the leaves stay on as long as possible to help the bulbs enjoy the last bit of energy/food as they can but I also have heard that some folks just cut the leaves off as well, so it's up to you on what you decide. I hope this helps :-)))

Oh, Fred, it helps! Thanks for the hints. 50+ pots!!!! It must be a gorgeous sight when they are blooming! You ought to share pictures.

Off to search for new pots of proper size... =)

Welcome Roxanna!! How wonderful that you Fred live in the same neck of the as he is a great resource of information-.