If you've found yourself with an amaryllis plant and aren't familiar with the variety, you might wonder if the bulbs multiply. We've researched for you and have the information you need about your amaryllis plant, including how the bulbs multiply.
Amaryllis bulbs will multiply either by themselves or with help through propagation techniques. There are three methods commonly used to multiply amaryllis bulbs:
- Natural offspring
- Cuttage
- Tissue culture
Continue reading to find out more about the multiplication of amaryllis bulbs. We will also highlight the answers to people's common questions about growing, transferring, and caring for the popular flower.
Amaryllis Bulb Propagation
Propagation of plants occurs when a mother source produces new plants. Different propagation techniques aid the process, but it also occurs naturally. Amaryllis bulbs multiply into new bulbs or can be cut into sections that will mature into new bulbs, which are both common forms of propagation.
Natural Offspring
Amaryllis bulbs will self-propagate. Look around the base for an offspring or growth known as a baby on a healthy mother bulb. You can separate the offspring from the mother by gently breaking it away or cutting it off with a tool. The best tool to have is a good pair of pruners.
Consider this professional set from Topbooc to ensure you have the right tool to make the job easier.
The new bulb is ready to be transferred to a new pot to start a new amaryllis plant.
However, the separation should only be done after the flowering process ends. If your plants are in your outside garden, the best time to separate bulbs is in the fall.
If your plants are potted, you have more discretion about when you transplant. If you plan to control the blooming process, consider when you want the bulbs to flower when deciding when to separate and repot your baby bulbs.
Cuttage
Cutting or resectioning amaryllis bulbs is a propagation process that involves making vertical cuts from top to root in a mature bulb to multiply the bulb into new offspring sections.
It is essential to leave stem tissue attached to each bulb section with a fungicide applied for protection from disease. The best time to section out amaryllis bulbs is mid-summer to early fall.
For an effective fungicide, consider this top-rated one from Spectracide.
Tissue Culture
Tissue culture requires knowledge, resources, and experience and probably isn't an option for those new to proportion. That is why it is a method more often used commercially rather than at home. To yield seeds or more plants, tissue is extracted and managed through pollination in a sterile, controlled environment.
Amaryllis plants can also be propagated from purchased seeds instead of bulbs, but this isn't a preferred method for a couple of reasons. First, it can take several years to establish a blooming plant.
Secondly, it's easier to maintain the integrity of the mother plant characteristics when propagated from a bulb rather than a seed.
How Often Do Amaryllis Bulbs Multiply?
Amaryllis bulbs can yield several babies if left untouched for several bloom cycles, but some varieties naturally produce more than others.
You may not know how many offsets you have until you attempt to separate them because some may be hidden. However, you should not attempt to separate a baby from the mother bulb until it has more than two leaves.
To maximize the possibility of offsets, ensure that your plant gets plenty of sunlight and fertilizer. The more energy it can store, the more likely a healthy mother will become pregnant.
While amaryllis are traditionally shared in a small pot with one bulb, allowing your bulb to continue to grow with its offsets creates a robust plant with many, many blooms. However, this will require that you continually transplant all the bulbs into a larger pot so they have room to continue multiplying.
How Do I Transfer An Amaryllis Bulb?
Once the baby bulb or bulb section has been separated from the mother bulb, it is time to plant it. Be sure to use a pot with a diameter large enough to leave at least 1-2" around the bulb. Pot the bulb leaving at least 1/3" above the dirt line. Some people prefer to cover the dirt with moss or rocks for decorative purposes.
Use good-quality dirt to give your new plant plenty of nutrients. If you need potting soil, Miracle-Gro Indoor potting mix is highly recommended by many experts.
How Many Times Will An Amaryllis Bulb Bloom?
Many people receive amaryllis plants as gifts during Christmas and mistakenly toss them out after the blooms die, thinking they won't bloom again. With proper care and the right environment, an amaryllis plant will bloom annually for its lifespan, meaning you can enjoy it for many years.
The average lifespan of an amaryllis is 25 years, but at least one has lived over 75 years. Some people manage to get their amaryllis to bloom more than once per year, but, unfortunately, these results aren't the norm for everyone. Thankfully, the flowers can last up to 6 weeks when they bloom.
How Do I Get My Amaryllis To Bloom Again?
A simple process is needed to ensure that your amaryllis continues to bloom. Once the blooms die off, cut them off to avoid seed production and allow the plant's energy to focus elsewhere.
Later, you will trim off the stems to just above the bulb, but not yet because the stems will continue to store energy. Allow the plant lots of warmth and sunlight to regrow its leaves. This can be done inside or outside.
Then, move the plant to a cool, dark location to rest and go through its dormancy cycle. The perfect temperature for dormancy ranges between 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Once this natural cycle is complete, reintroduce it to sunshine and fertilizer, and it should soon be ready to bloom again.
Can I Control When My Amarllyis Blooms?
If you live in a warm climate and your amaryllis plants are planted outside in your garden, you can expect they will bloom in the springtime after normal winter dormancy.
You might wonder how amaryllis plants are often seen at Christmas if they bloom in the spring. When amaryllis is potted and treated as an indoor plant, dormancy and the bloom cycle can be controlled.
Decide when you want your plant to bloom, then count backward 10-14 weeks. That should be the beginning of the plant's rest cycle or dormancy. After about 6-8 weeks, the plant is ready to break its dormancy. Bring it out, ensuring it gets lots of food, water, and sunlight. You can expect it to bloom within 3-4 weeks.
How Do I Care For My Amaryllis?
If you want your amaryllis to thrive, there are some things that you need to know about the plant to care for it properly.
- Amaryllis plants can live indoors or outdoors but do not like cold temperatures, so if you live in a climate that gets cold during the winter, you will have to move them indoors during cold months.
- Amaryllis plants love sunshine and need lots of it to store energy for flowering.
- Amaryllis plants need regular watering but do not like wet dirt because it can create rot in the root system. It is best to water only when the dirt has become dry and not directly water the bulb.
In Closing
Amaryllis plants make great gifts around the holiday season, but don't forget to remind the recipient that it will bloom again. Perhaps, include a tag with a quick how-to guide to help them preserve the bulbs and share them with others.
For more information about the care and upkeep of Amaryllis, read: How Often To Water Amaryllis
To learn even more, consider reading: Should You Deadhead Amaryllis? [And How To]