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Growing an amaryllis indoors brings a little magic and color to a room in the dead of winter. Long, luscious green foliage emerges from the bulb before sending up a stalk that will open to reveal gorgeous, lily-like blooms. For an extra bit of magic, if you know when to cut back amaryllis leaves and flowers, you can coax the bulb to flower again the following year. It just takes a little bit of patience and planning.
The key to getting an amaryllis bulb to bloom a second time is to know the steps to take after it has bloomed—when to cut off the flowers, what to do with the stalk, how to deal with the leaves, and when to put your plant away to prompt dormancy.
Is an amaryllis bulb worth saving after it has bloomed once?
For many, an amaryllis is kind of a one and done type of plant. It shows off its colorful display and then into the compost goes the plant, bulb and all. To me it always seems like such a waste, binning a spent bulb after it has bloomed indoors. Why not try to get it to bloom again?
Many bulbs found in indoor spring arrangements, like daffodils, hyacinth, and tulips, can be planted outside after the blooms have died back. They will grow back year after year. If you live in a warm climate, amaryllis plants can stay outside. In a cold climate, an amaryllis can be enjoyed in a garden, but it won’t survive a winter outdoors.
With proper care, you can save the bulb so that it blooms for you again until the next bloom season. Not only is it a nice challenge to try and get an amaryllis to bloom again, it will also save you money.
The importance of removing spent amaryllis flowers from the stalk
A single amaryllis stalk can produce anywhere from three to six flowers. Each flower has its own small stem that extends from the stalk. Once it has died back, trim that flower where the stem meets the stalk. If the dead flowers are left on the plant, they will start to transform into a seed, expending a great deal of energy and weakening the bulb.
Once the last flower has died, you can remove the stalk entirely once it has also started to die. Using hand pruners or sharp scissors, cut the stalk at its base, a couple of inches from the top of the bulb. However, it’s important you leave the leaves.
When to cut back amaryllis leaves
After you’ve removed the flower stalk from your amaryllis, it is likely there will still be a few green leaves growing from the bulb. Continue to water your plant as you would your other houseplants. Photosynthesis is still occurring, sending energy and nutrients back into the bulb.
Keep the flower pot in a sunny spot or bring the pot outdoors. Don’t place your amaryllis immediately in full sun, though. Acclimate it gradually, by placing it in part shade before moving to full sun.
You can also add a houseplant fertilizer once a month to encourage the leaves to flourish. I will admit, I’m not good at remember to fertilize, and my amaryllis has rebloomed without it. As your plant continues to produce leaves, you may notice the bulb growing slightly.
Only remove the leaves from an amaryllis when they’ve started to turn yellow and brown, and have died back. If they’re still green, they’re still sending energy back to the bulb.
Planning a dormancy period for your amaryllis
Around the beginning of fall (end of September), reduce watering and stop fertilizing your amaryllis bulb. Place your bulb in a cool part of the house, out of the light. I put mine in my window-less furnace room, still in the pot.
After a dormant phase of about six to eight weeks, bring your amaryllis out of storage. Use pruning shears or scissors to remove any remaining dead leaves. You may see a green shoot starting to emerge from the bulb. This is a good sign. If you don’t see one, however, be patient as it still could appear.
Place the pot back in a sunny window and start to water again. You may wish to repot your bulb with fresh potting mix.
It can take longer for an amaryllis bulb to produce a bloom a second time. If you’re seeing foliage, that’s a good sign. I’ve had an amaryllis wait until March to rebloom again after coming out of dormancy.
Follow all these steps again next season to see if you can coax a third bloom period from your bulb. Repot your amaryllis every two to three years with fresh soil.
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