Giving shouldn’t cause you grief.
There is something inherently stressful about choosing a gift—especially when you’re shopping for someone you may not know well. Personal items like clothing, perfume, garden tools or décor are often risky because you must be armed with so much knowledge about your recipient’s needs, tastes and size requirements. However, with an amaryllis, gifting anxiety is gone.
With over 600 named varieties to choose from, amaryllis flowers are a collector’s dream. That means you can give amaryllis gifts year after year, with uniquely beautiful blooms each time.
Amaryllis gifts don’t take up much space. They require minimal care. And if you’re lucky, your gift will result in new amaryllis enthusiasts who will delight in receiving another bulb from you each year.
For the added fun of friendly competition, distribute potted amaryllis bulbs to siblings, grandchildren and friend groups and see whose blooms first.
It’s alive – It’s entertaining – It’s a treasured tradition
Amaryllis bulbs are planted with the top of the bulb showing above the soil, giving the receiver a hint of what’s to come. Then, with just a little water and sunlight, the real magic starts to happen.
Most amaryllis bulbs take about 6 weeks to fully bloom, but once they get started, they seem to grow right before your eyes. In fact, these fast-growing plants have been known to ascend a full inch each day. This makes amaryllis gratifying to watch throughout the holiday season.
Because they’re so easy to ship, amaryllis make convenient gifts for loved ones near or far, and their beauty and maintenance-free nature makes them ideal for residents of nursing homes, hospitals, and college dorms.
Keep the growing going.
What do you do with amaryllis bulbs after they bloom?
That depends. Amaryllis gifts provide a full season of interest that culminates in a display of stunning, colorful flowers. For many, that’s enough. They may discard the bulb after the amaryllis flowers have bloomed and reuse the decorative pot for other things.
Learn more at How to Care for Amaryllis Before and After Blooming
However, those who want to keep the magic alive can enjoy new blooms year after year with the proper amaryllis care. In fact, the same bulb can rebloom for 75 years or more.
For the true minimalist, waxed amaryllis may be the best choice. It doesn’t even need a pot or soil to grow. Jumbo bulbs are dipped in colorful wax and have all the moisture and nutrients they need for one full season of blooming.
Learn more about Amaryllis – Year of the Amaryllis
So how many are you giving this year? Any for yourself?
Written by Dawn Dodson, NGB Member Breck’s Bulbs
“This post is provided as an educational/inspirational service of the National Garden Bureau and our members. Please credit and link to National Garden Bureau and author member when using all or parts of this article.”
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Which online stores would you recommend to expand my collection of amaryllises?
Many of our NGB members carry amaryllises, please check out links to their online stores at https://ngb.org/shop-our-members/