The long-standing “virtually yearly” vacation custom at our home is to present youthful relations an enormous amaryllis bulb to develop aromatic crimson blooms indoors in late December.
Even at eight years previous, my daughter Lucy may sprout this attractive tropical flower on her personal.
In later years, the amaryllis bulb vacation presents adopted her to school to brighten the icy Chicago winter. Now that she lives in New Orleans, she will plant the spent bulbs outside to bloom the following spring.
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Since these bulbs take six to eight weeks to bloom after planting, the gesture has at all times been a present for 2 events, with the sensible crimson blooms generally bursting forth near Valentine’s Day.
In fact, in the event you reside in balmy USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11, you may also plant these bulbs outside in fall or winter. So long as they obtain half or full solar, they’ll thrive in flower beds, naturalized areas, or containers in these areas.
You possibly can study all about planting and caring for amaryllis in our rising information!
However there’s no want to decide on, right here. You possibly can power the bulbs to bloom for the vacations, give them as presents, and nonetheless plant a slew of them outside in case your local weather is heat sufficient.
Whoops, did I say no want to decide on? You really might want to make some picks.
The totally different sorts of Hippeastrum fall into 5 classes: single or double-bloom varieties, these with smaller flowers, the nymphs with their exceptionally giant blooms and extra-sturdy stems, and cybister amaryllis with their delicate spidery petals.
They’re to not be confused with Amaryllis belladonna, a special genus in the identical household, Amaryllidaceae.
Usually, the widespread identify “amaryllis” refers back to the giant Hippeastrum bulbs offered in late fall and early winter for wonderful indoor blooms.
For vacation presents and decor, there are quite a few attractive Hippeatsrum cultivars obtainable, and listed here are 17 of my favorites:
17 of the Finest Amaryllis Varieties
With out additional ado, listed here are 17 of one of the best choices within the enjoyable and fantastic vary of various amaryllis cultivars:
1. Amadeus Sweet
‘Amadeus Sweet’ options attractive double blooms in white with pink edging round every petal. The flower stalks attain 20 to 25 inches tall with 4 to 5, seven-inch blooms.
‘Amadeus Sweet’
‘Amadeus Sweet’ bulbs are obtainable by way of Walmart.
2. Dancing Queen
You’ll actually dance when this attractive striped queen blooms indoors in winter. That includes additional giant, totally double, orangey-red and white striped flowers, it’s sure so as to add some drama to your vacation decor – and maybe even make you’re feeling 17?
And did I point out that it’s large? ‘Dancing Queen’ will attain 20 to 22 inches tall and produce nine-inch blooms on two or three stems.
‘Dancing Queen’
Dance your method over to Walmart to select up bulbs.
3. Double Dragon
I can simply image this sharp crimson double-bloom selection including a dramatic accent to Smaug’s mountain lair, or possibly brightening the winter months for Puff on his magic island.
‘Double Dragon’
A Dutch-grown bulb, ‘Double Dragon’ produces two stalks with 4 blossoms every and grows to 24 inches tall. The general impact is fiery!
‘Double Dragon’ bulbs are obtainable from Burpee.
4. Double Dream
With dreamy white-tipped pink petals, the double blooms of ‘Double Dream’ are positive to please, brightening the dreariest of winter days.
The 20- to 25-inch flower stalks sport 4 to 6 blooms, every measuring seven to eight inches throughout.
5. Evergreen
A cybister cultivar, ‘Evergreen’ seems particularly tropical with its apple-green starburst on the middle of creamy blossoms.
The colour scheme works fairly nicely in winter vacation floral preparations, particularly when paired with a vivid crimson selection.
‘Evergreen’ grows 20 to 24 inches excessive and produces two stalks with 4 to 6 flowers on every.
‘Evergreen’
And even elite gardeners suppose they’re spiffy. ‘Evergreen’ obtained an Award of Backyard Advantage from the Royal Horticultural Society in 2012, and the RHS won’t ever steer you fallacious.
‘Evergreen’ bulbs are obtainable from Burpee.
6. Ferrari
Dramatic and splendid just like the sports activities automotive, however a bit extra inexpensive, ‘Ferrari’ is understood for producing a wealth of colour.
Not like the automotive, this ‘Ferrari’ is from Holland, not Italy.
These bulbs are gargantuan: 13 to fifteen inches extensive! The flowers are simply as lavish, with two stems rising 20 to 26 inches excessive, and bursting into 4 or 5 big blooms apiece.
‘Ferrari’
The wealthy crimson petals encompass a deep crimson middle. (Undecided why phrases like “wealthy” maintain developing after I speak about this plant…)
Actually, if I may solely select one, I might go for a area of ‘Ferrari’ flowers as a substitute of the model with 4 wheels.
And hey, this deep crimson luxurious merchandise, not like its namesake, can sit proper on the eating room desk to cheer you up in winter.
‘Ferrari’ bulbs prepared for planting are obtainable from Burpee.
7. Half and Half
Right here’s an amaryllis to stare upon whilst you sip your espresso and admire your Christmas tree, or your springtime backyard.
‘Half and Half’
A brand new selection from Israel, ‘Half and Half’ grows two toes tall and produces copious blooms of vivid crimson. And every flower boasts a wedge of petals which are blush-tinted cream.
This sort sometimes produces two or three stems, and every yields 5 or 6 blooms.
‘Half and Half’ bulbs are obtainable from Van Zyverden by way of House Depot.
8. Hercules
No myths or children’ motion pictures right here, simply extra-large fuchsia blooms on vegetation that develop 20 inches tall.
‘Hercules’
‘Hercules’ bulbs produce 4 or 5 flowers on every of two stems, and the blooms are normally eight inches extensive – somewhat bigger than a salad plate. Or, I don’t know, most likely concerning the dimension of that Cyclops’ eye…
If this excellent selection strikes your fancy, ‘Hercules’ bulbs are obtainable from Burpee.
9. Minerva
She was the Roman goddess of conflict, however Minerva was additionally the goddess of the humanities, and that makes this identify becoming.
‘Minerva’ blooms are sheer pure magnificence, with white stripes that look virtually like deft brush strokes emanating from the flat-faced, vivid crimson petals.
Every bulb is normally good for one or two stems that develop 18 to 24 inches excessive, and reliably produce three or 4 flowers.
10. Picotee
The flowers on these 20-inch stalks seem like an old-school ice skating skirt, or one thing else that’s swish and sensible white.
‘Picotee’
They usually’re a powerful dimension, capable of produce two stems with 4 or 5 eight-inch blooms every.
Bulbs are obtainable from Burpee.
11. Purple Rain
These blooms aren’t precisely what I’d name purple – they’re extra pink. And I’m fairly positive the well-known musician by no means grew them, both when he was Prince, or when he was the Artist Previously Recognized As.
These beauties have eight-inch blooms with putting two-tone pink stripes. They usually do have the faintest little bit of purple within the middle, so possibly that’s the place the identify got here from?
‘Purple Rain’ grows 18 to 24 inches tall and produces two stems with 4 blooms every.
Nonetheless, it kinda makes you marvel what colour a Little Pink Corvette amaryllis can be, to not point out a Raspberry Beret…