Amaryllis & Paperwhite Narcissus

I love the indoor winter bulbs. At the time of year when the days are getting shorter, it lifts my spirits to be able to plant something inside that I know will be coming into bloom soon. And both Amaryllis and paperwhite Narcissus bulbs are easy to grow indoors.

You don’t have to have soil to grow paperwhites. You can put them in a shallow dish, flower pot or vase with a layer of rocks or pebbles and keep the container filled with water that just covers the base of the bulbs. Because the stems grow tall and the flowers can be a bit heavy when they bloom, you’ll need a way to stake or support them once they are flowering. One way is to make a creative grapevine cage for your bulbs.  An easier way is to plant your bulbs in the bottom of a tall, clear glass vase.

Amaryllis can also be forced in pebbles and water in the same manner, but when they are grown that way you won’t be able to save them from year to year. Growing these large bulbs in water will deplete the energy in the bulbs. When planted in soil, however, the bulbs can continue to grow leaves and roots beyond their flowering period and you can enjoy them for many years to come.

We’re all familiar with the large, red Amaryllis flowers, which are beautiful. But there are other colors and sizes of Amaryllis blooms that are also spectacular, so if red isn’t your color, be sure to look for some of the other varieties.

Love pink and burgundy? Have we got an Amaryllis for you…

Plant your amaryllis bulbs in a clay pot that has a drainage hole. Use a good quality potting soil and only cover the bottom quarter to a third of the bulb. Place the potted bulb in a warm, sunny window and prepare to be amazed as it grows.

Note: don’t keep these bulbs too wet. Water the soil well when you do water, but let it dry a bit before watering again and don’t let the pot sit in standing water. When Amaryllis bulbs are kept too wet they will rot.

If you have Amaryllis bulbs from previous years and need to repot them, read all about that process here.