Amaryllis is a popular bulb that will be providing stellar
performances in many local landscapes over the coming
weeks. Even though the leaves of amaryllis plants were
frozen back to the ground from the cold snaps in January,
the below-ground bulbs rapidly generated new growth
that will produce spring flowers. Few flowering bulbs can
surpass the stately beauty of the amaryllis.
Amaryllis readily adapts to our Gulf Coast landscapes
and once established can become a long-lasting part of
the landscape with minimal care.
Most plants in local landscapes are probably hybridized
forms of amaryllis. This flowering bulb was first
discovered by Eduard Poeppig, a young physician from
Germany, while on a plant hunting expedition in Chile.
Although we frequently see these beautiful plants for
sale in pots around Christmas time, they can be raised
very successfully out of doors in our mild climate.
Amaryllis grows from a large, multi-layered bulb that is
very similar in appearance to the onion. Amaryllis produces
large, trumpet-shaped flowers, growing as large as
eight inches across in clusters of two-to-six flowers per
stem. The leafless, hollow stems can grow to be
two to three feet tall.
Although the dominant flower color of amaryllis
growing in local landscapes is red other colors
include shades of orange, pink as well as white
and striped ones.
Remove dead blooms before seeds are produced.
If not, flowering the following season will
be likely be reduced. Removing dead blooms
also helps to maintain the aesthetic value of the
planting.
Amaryllis thrives in any reasonably good garden
soil including our gumbo clays as long as
drainage is good. Some garden articles recommend
that amaryllis bulbs be planted in an area
that receives part sun (about six hours of direct
sun and then shade in the afternoon), but you are
likely to see amaryllis thriving in full sun to part
shade in our area.
Once planted and established, amaryllis can be
left alone for years. A light sprinkling of a generalpurpose
fertilizer in March and June and watering
during unusually dry weather are all they need.
Beds should be mulched with an inch or two of
shredded pine bark or other similar organic mulch
to help reduce weeds and conserve moisture.
The bulbs may be left in the ground for several
years (typically for 2-to-4 years of growth) then
divided in the fall season. This is one tough plant
and I have divided my amaryllis in late winter
(February) and plants still produced a respectable
mass of flowers in late spring.
Amaryllis may be dug and reset in September
or October. While it is not necessary to dig, separate,
and replant each year, doing so will encourage uniform
flowering and larger blooms. Digging also provides
an opportunity to discard unhealthy bulbs, to increase
your plants by removing and replanting young offsets
(bulblets) and to amend the bed with organic matter.
Whether you’ve never had an amaryllis before, or you
have been growing them for years, amaryllis is a good
investment for providing striking and dependable flower
color in April landscapes.
Gardeners’ Q&A
Q: All of the flowers on my citrus trees dropped soon
after the freeze that occurred a few weeks ago. Does that
mean my citrus plant will not produce any fruits this year?
A: Do not expect any fruit production if the flowers
froze. However, if the citrus tree is sufficiently mature
(especially if it has produced fruits in prior years) and is
otherwise healthy, there is basis for hope that the tree
may still produce some fruits during the growing season
if it produces another flush of flowers which depends on
the type of citrus. As a general rule of thumb, the smaller
the type of fruit, the more often it blooms. For example,
some limes and lemons can set blooms up to four times
a year, while the citrus blooming season for larger sized
citrus fruits (such as grapefruits and navel oranges) is
only once in the spring.
Q: Is it time to fertilize my lawn?
A: Mid-March to mid-April is the recommended time
period to fertilize lawns. A good way to determine when
to fertilize is to wait until you have mowed the lawn grass
twice within a 10-day period. I plan to fertilize my lawn
over the coming weekend.
If you fertilize too early, you will be fertilizing the winter
weeds! This allows time for your lawn grass to green up
naturally without pushing it into growth. Use a 3-1-2 ratio
fertilizer (such as 15-5-10) and distribute with a broadcast
(cyclone) spreader. Uniform distribution is essential to
prevent light and dark streaks in the lawn.
William Johnson is a horticulturist with the Galveston
County office of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
Visit his website at aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/
index.htm.
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