The amaryllis, also known as the knight's star, is a must-have in almost every household during the Christmas season. In contrast to the garden amaryllis or belladonna lily, this extravagant ornamental plant blooms in the middle of winter and thus brings color into the dark season.
How do you properly care for an amaryllis in a pot?
An amaryllis in a pot needs regular watering, bright light and temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius during the flowering period from mid-December to February. After flowering, it should be placed in partial shade to sunny at 24-26 degrees Celsius. During the resting phase (end of July to beginning of August) it needs a cool, dark environment.
How long does an amaryllis last in a pot?
The Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) can only be cultivated in pots because it is not hardy and also blooms in winter. Properly cared for, the popular houseplant blooms between mid-December and February, and can produce several flower buds in a row.
Many people throw the plant away after it has bloomed, even though it can be cared for for several years without much effort and made to bloom again and again. With proper care, the tuber grows larger every year and produces more buds and larger flowers.
How do I care for an amaryllis in a pot?
First of all, the amaryllis in the pot needs good care, which varies greatly depending on the season:
- water regularly during the flowering period, but allow the substrate to dry in between and avoid waterlogging
- water more frequently after flowering and in summer, now fertilize every two weeks (March to June) with a liquid fertilizer
- From June onwards, slowly reduce the amount of watering and fertilizer
- Stop watering and fertilizing completely from the end of July / beginning of August
- cut off yellowed leaves from September and pot up the tuber
- approx. Store in a cool, dark place for six to ten weeks
- from mid-October to November at the latest, place in fresh substrate and water sparingly
- Slowly increase watering quantities from the first green onwards
Now the cycle begins again.
What kind of soil does the amaryllis need in the pot?
The amaryllis is not very demanding when it comes to the substrate in the pot: commercial potting or houseplant soil is completely sufficient. You can also mix these with clay granules for better permeability. This means that excess irrigation water flows away more quickly and waterlogging is avoided. A drainage layer at the bottom of the pot is also important, for which you can also use clay granules (€19.00 on Amazon).
Where should the pot with the amaryllis be placed?
The amaryllis not only has different care requirements depending on the season, but also on its location.
- during flowering: as bright as possible and at temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius
- after the flowering period: partially shaded to shaded at temperatures between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius
- when resting: cool and dark, if possible in the basement or similar.
For summering, you can place the pot with the amaryllis in a suitable place outdoors, for example on the balcony or in the garden.
Which pot is best for the amaryllis?
The ideal pot for the amaryllis is only a few centimeters larger in diameter than the tuber is thick. Take a rather deep container made of heavy material into which a plant pot can also be inserted. Alternatively, you can use a bucket with drainage holes in the bottom that is placed on a coaster.
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Where does the amaryllis come from?
While the real amaryllis (Amaryllis belladonna), which usually blooms in summer and is cultivated in the garden, comes from South Africa, the outwardly very similar knight's star has its home in South America.
