The broad genus of amaryllis plants gives us magnificent species with varying levels of cold tolerance. While the popular knight's star delights us as a winter-flowering houseplant, the garden amaryllis adorns the summer flower bed. Overwintering is correspondingly differentiated. Explore all the important details here.
Are Amaryllis hardy and how do they overwinter?
Amaryllis are not hardy, their overwintering depends on the species: Indoor amaryllis (Ritterstern) overwinter in a cool, dark room and with little watering; Garden amaryllis bulbs are dug up before frost begins and stored in a dark, frost-free place.
This is how the indoor amaryllis gets through the winter he althy
Popular wisdom steadfastly insists on calling amaryllis the knight's star, regardless of its actual taxonomy as a hippeastrum. The real Amaryllis Belladonna and the Ritterstern combine both abundance of flowers and sensitivity to frost. Thanks to its uncomplicated care, the knight's star has established itself as a houseplant. This is how wintering works:
- Set up in a dark room from September to November at temperatures between 5 and 9 degrees Celsius
- Repot in November and move to a bright location with temperatures of 18 to 22 degrees Celsius
- Pour moderately from below parallel to the emergence of the buds
Water the Ritterstern regularly until the end of the flowering period in February/March. When the first leaves emerge, apply a liquid fertilizer every 14 days.
Garden amaryllis lasts until the frost line
As a hybrid of amaryllis belladonna and hook lily, the garden amaryllis is significantly more cold-tolerant than a knight's star. However, the summer flower does not thrive as a truly winter-hardy plant, given a temperature minimum of -1 degree Celsius. With the help of the following precautions you can keep the plant he althy through the cold season:
- Dig up the onion in time before the onset of winter
- Cut off the drawn leaves
- Store on an airy shelf or in a box with sand, dark and frost-free
The following year, replant the overwintered garden amaryllis in March/April, provided the ground has thawed completely.
Tip
If you are looking for an extraordinary plant for your aquarium, you will surprisingly find what you are looking for within the multifaceted family of amaryllis. The narrow-leaved hook lily thrives excellently under water. At the same time, the delicate leaves decorate the small water world without causing too much shadow.
