By Timothy J. Malinich, OSU Extension
My amaryllis is done blooming, and it looks like it has a seedpod growing. What should I do?
Amaryllis are a spectacular and fun holiday plant to grow. Bulbs can be purchased at most garden centers throughout the fall. Once potted and watered, they will send up one or two stalks sporting huge flowers. This flower show is courtesy of a tiny flower stalk already present in the bulb when it was planted. The large, round bulb provides energy to that flower. So, success is all but guaranteed with a big, healthy bulb.
If pollen is transferred from the flower's anther (the stalk with the yellow powder on the end) to the stigma (the sticky tip of the center stalk), the fertilized flower can make seeds. The pod itself can grow to several inches in length. If left alone, it will swell with seeds and eventually turn yellow. At this point, it is full of dry, black, papery seeds.
The seeds won't keep long and can be planted to grow more amaryllis. It will take several years before the seedlings produce a large enough bulb to flower. And it likely will not be the same color as the parent.
However, it is very expensive for a plant to produce flowers and even more expensive for it to make a fruit and seeds. As a result, a fruiting amaryllis is not likely to bloom the following year unless it is well cared for in spring and summer.
To help ensure a flower next year, cut off the flowering stalk as the last bloom fades; do not let it grow a seedpod. The bulb will produce three or four large leaves. Give the plant as much light as possible indoors. Move the plant outside in late spring, and give it plenty of fertilizer and water. When the leaves yellow in the fall, pull them off and store the bulb (pot and all) in a cool basement. As the holidays approach, bring it into the light and begin watering for another holiday show.
Call a master gardener for gardening advice from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at 216-429-8235. Gardening information is also available at cuyahoga.osu.edu and webgarden.osu.edu. Write master gardeners at email@example.com for answers to questions anytime.