Tag Archive | Christmas flowers

An Evergreen Swag In 7 Simple Steps

How To Make a Festive Evergreen Swag

evergreen swag, gold bow

As the holidays approach and the to-do list grows ever longer, quickly pulling together a swag or two before guests arrive is so easy. Would you like to try this? In this article, I’ll describe making an evergreen swag in 7 simple steps.

**What is a swag, exactly?**

An evergreen swag is a hanging cluster of ornamental greens—with or without embellishments—used primarily during the holiday seasons. It can have one point of attachment, or it could span between two or more supports. Personalize it with ribbon, ornaments, and other items that reflect your family’s style.

Hang swags on walls, porch posts, doors, fences, and gates. Attach one to the mailbox or the lamppost. Although the greens last longer in cold conditions outdoors, you can hang them indoors. Certain evergreens, particularly freshly cut Fraser and balsam firs and some of the cedars, smell absolutely wonderful for a while.

Step #1: Gather Materials For the Evergreen Swag

Using Evergreens From Your Gardens

: Fraser fir.

: Cypress.

: White pine.

When searching for a new home in northern North Carolina, I noticed the southern magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) and boxwoods (Buxus sempervirens) on this property. (“Great! Materials for swags and wreaths!”) Look for evergreens, twigs and buds with character, pine cones, and seedpods around your property. Perhaps you and your friends and neighbors can get together and trade materials…over hot chocolate and Christmas cookies, of course.

Chamaecyparis ‘Vintage Gold’.

A small Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Vintage Gold’ (USDA zones 5-8) planted last winter provides threadlike sprays of golden-yellow foliage. Bright yellow adds a great spark of color and shows up brilliantly against darker greens. Chamaecyparis—the false cypresses—are among my favorite evergreens for the landscape. Hinoki cypresses add soft texture and deep green swirled foliage for swags, wreaths, and table centerpieces.

Variegated English holly for evergreen swag

Variegated English Holly has yellow or white margins.

In the future, I’ll plant shrubs and conifers not only to enhance my surroundings, but also for the birds and as cut greens. The long, soft needles of white pine (Pinus strobus) add textural contrast to arrangements. The native species grows to huge proportions, so I’ll look for smaller cultivars.

When choosing varieties to add to your landscape, consider your plant hardiness zone. Some love the cold and will fail in hot summers.

Other evergreens, such as juniper, spruce, cedar, and cypress, can supply clippings for seasonal projects. Variegated English holly (Ilex Aquifolium) and some of the dwarf hollies are on that growing wish list. Although traditional at Christmastime, holly leaves and berries don’t cling for a long time. I sometimes use small artificial berries when those little details would add to the design.

Buy a Taller Christmas Tree For More Greens

Fraser fir branches are one of the best greens to begin the project. Since there aren’t any growing here, I used bottom branches from a freshly cut Christmas tree purchased at Hawk’s Market in Elkin. Fraser fir lasts a fairly long period of time without much shedding. Trees are pruned while they’re growing, causing very dense growth. To make ornaments hang freely, you can thin out some of the branches and use them in your evergreen swags.

Garden centers, farmers’ markets, florists, and craft shops stock various cut greens and supplies for creating swags, start to finish.

Experiment with unconventional sources of material, such as eucalyptus, bay leaves, and red- or yellow-twig dogwood stems. I’ve used a few leaves of variegated liriope or acorus tied in bunches and wired into arrangements.

You might prefer artificial materials, including the greens. Fresh poinsettias or magnolia blooms wouldn’t last on a swag, of course, but craft shops have “picks” in a wide range of styles and colors. They might or might not hold up to outdoor conditions, depending on what they’re made of. Handled carefully, silks and flocked picks can last for a few seasons.

Berries and Seedpods

One of many hollies.

Use rosehips, holly berries, nandina berries, acorns from oak trees, nuts, and small fruits for ornamentation. Birds might help themselves to the berries.

Seedpods offer another dimension in decorating your evergreen swag. Siberian iris grows woody seedpods on strong stems. Use them in their natural state or spray paint them in the color of your choice.

Grow everlastings (several species of flowers whose dry seedpods hold up in winter arrangements) in the garden during the summer season. Scabiosa stellata and strawflower are flowering annuals with stiff papery seedheads.

Although rather delicate, seedpods of biennial money plant, also called honesty (Lunaria annua), can be used in protected locations or with indoor arrangements. Clean the seedpods by gently rubbing between your fingers, removing the outer coverings and revealing the shimmering membrane inside.

Cones

Gather pine cones from your property, or perhaps you have some tucked away in your craft corner. They last for years if kept dry. This year, I used the ones that had been in storage for a decade.

Various evergreen species grow cones in different sizes, shapes, and shades of brown. Some have cute little cones ½-2″ long (hemlock, cypress) for smaller projects. Many pine species are 3-8″ long, and one—Coulter pine—has gigantic pine cones around 14″ long. Some have needle-sharp tips or sticky sap, so handle carefully.

Pine cones are the female reproductive parts of pine trees; the males generally are smaller and shed all that wind-blown pollen many months before pine cones mature. Seeds provide food for wildlife, and delicious pine nuts (“pignoli”) are harvested from about 20 species growing around the world.

When pine cones get wet, their scales close tightly. As they dry out, they begin opening up once again (photo, above).

Other Materials For the Evergreen Swag

In addition to the plant materials, you’ll need:

a protected work surface
pruners
scissors
pliers
old scissors or wire cutters
Wilt-Pruf, a biodegradable antidesiccant (optional, but recommended)
a sprayer bottle
a bucket for preparing a large quantity of greens
a large plastic trash bag or an old towel
florist’s paddle wire—I use 26 gauge and the thicker 22 gauge (wire will break down in the environment). Use pipe cleaners or zip ties for the loop and the bow, if you prefer.
ribbon with wired edges. Outdoor ribbon holds up to the weather.
sap/adhesive remover (Goo Gone or Goof Off). Read the label.
ornaments, bells, or other embellishments

Step #2: Prepare the Greens

For the swags I made to sell at the farmers’ market, the longest stems from the Fraser fir Christmas tree measured about 30″. Use short stems for smaller swags and centerpieces. Trim off any unusable parts.

During mild weather, set up an area outdoors, if possible, to cut the greens and when using Wilt-Pruf. Prepare a sprayer bottle by adding Wilt-Pruf to the water (read the label.) The dilution rate for Wilt-Pruf to water is 1:10. Although the solution looks like diluted milk, it will dry clear. When it dries, it coats foliage with a waxy film which holds water in the plant tissues. This helps the greens last longer, especially when used indoors. (I’ve used it in a colder climate for evergreens planted in autumn to protect them from drying winds.)

Place the greens in a single layer on the plastic, and spray thoroughly. Turn them over and spray again. Agitate the solution periodically. The goal is to cover all surfaces with the solution. Let the greens dry outside on the plastic or the towel (or the lawn), and shade them from warm sun.

If you’re making a few arrangements, fill the bucket partway with the Wilt-Pruf solution. Dip the greens a few times into the solution. Let them drip, then lay them out to dry.

I’ll spray leftover solution on the tree itself, letting it dry before bringing it indoors and adding lights and ornaments. Wilt-Pruf kept in the sprayer will gum up the works, so rinse thoroughly with soap and hot water. Wash soapy water and then clear water through the sprayer.

If you don’t use Wilt-Pruf, soak the greens in cool water for a few minutes before working with them. It’s a good idea to mist the greens now and then, even after completing the project.

Step #3: Layer the Greens

Reserve the fullest, longest fir stem for the base of the evergreen swag. Then layer on 2-4 more stems, each one a little shorter than the previous one. This gives the appearance of depth rather than looking two dimensional.

Adjust the stems so the swag doesn’t show large gaps when you look through it. Leave some of the smaller twigs near the base of the stem out of the loop (next paragraph), so the swag doesn’t look so constricted. Look for a balance of foliage on the left side and the right side. If needed, add another stem or two, or cut off a wayward twig.

Cut a piece of the 22-gauge (thicker) wire about 12-14″ long. Wrap it very tightly 1 or 2 times around the base of the stems, 2-3″ from the ends. Twist the wire ends tightly together 5-6 times to secure it. Use the ends to create a loop and twist the ends again several times to hold it together. Give the loop a tug to test it.

An alternative to using fir is to substitute long, softly flowing branches of cedar. Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), and incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) with its tiny yellowish cones, are elegant, fragrant greens. Add a bow with long tails for a simple arrangement.

Step #4: Add More Layers Of Greens On the Swag

evergreen swag featuring golden chamaecyparis

Colorful foliage of Chamaecyparis ‘Vintage Gold’ with boxwood and Fraser fir.

Adding greens with different textures or colors brings complexity to your design. Add one or a few sprigs of white pine, cypress, or cedar, and bushy boxwood stems near the top. Use the 26-gauge wire to secure the new greens near the top of the fir stems.

Consider color echoes when designing your swag. For example, a piece of yellow conifer can pick up the gold in the ribbon or the ornaments you plan to use. Red berries echo the red in the bow.

Once all the greens have been secured, trim the cut ends to the same length, if desired.

Step #5: A Beautiful Bow For Your Evergreen Swag

Do you like the Victorian style, an organic woodsy design, or modern glitz? You can find ribbon to reflect any style for this year’s decorations. Look for a ready-made bow at the florist shop or garden center if your skills are not so advanced. Maybe someone can offer suggestions and make one for you while you wait.

Use either gauge wire to tie the bow tightly together and onto the evergreen swag near the top. After the rest of the elements have been added, you can fluff open the loops of the bow. Wired edges in the ribbon help everything stay in place, and sturdy ribbon (more substantial wire) is required in the breezy outdoors. Save your favorite bows by stuffing the loops with tissue paper (optional) and carefully placing them in a plastic bin during the off-season.

There are plenty of YouTube videos showing how to make bows. With a little practice, you can master this part of the project, too. Here are 2 of them, from Welcome to the Woods and Maymay Made It Crafts:

Step #6: Pine Cones

Choose 3 similar pine cones, and place them on the swag below the big bow at different levels. It’s okay if they’re not exactly the same size. I prefer an uneven number of elements, but that’s a personal choice. You might prefer 2 pine cones or none at all.

If you like the placement, cut a 12-16″ piece of the thinner wire for each pine cone. It might be easier to poke the wire through from the back of the swag, around a sturdy stem. Then, pull the ends together around the pine cone, between the scales, about 1/3 of the way from the top of the cone. Pull the wire tightly and twist the ends together to secure it. Cut off the excess wire or tuck it into the greens. The other option involves wrapping the wire around the pine cone and then wiring it onto the swag.

Does it all feel pretty stable? If it doesn’t, it might not hold together in the wind and rain. See if you can pull the wires tighter, twisting the excess at the back of the swag. Using pliers to tightly twist the wire might help.

If the swag swings around in the wind, shorten the loop or wire the lower part of the swag to the support. If necessary, screw 2 thin pieces of wood together (like a “T”), and build the swag on that.

Evergreens have sticky sap. Some gardeners use gloves when working with greens. Although it’s not recommended to use on the skin, I use sap remover to clean my hands and tools. Wash with soap and water immediately afterward.

Step #7: Finishing Touches For the Evergreen Swag

Little gift boxes on a table centerpiece. So cute.

This is the time for adding those finishing touches that individualize your project. Whether it’s a small brass horn, inexpensive Christmas balls or bells, small red “faux” apples or berries—or real ones. Get creative! In the photo above, I used a garland of tiny light blue gift boxes on the neck of this blue ceramic pot for an indoor centerpiece. These are made of paper and would not last long in the rain.

Deep, rich colors are best observed up close. From a distance, though, deep green evergreens and a burgundy bow look very dark. If you want to keep it there, you can lighten up the swag with bright red bow or a colorful plaid. Add frosted pine cones (painted white on the tips of the scales) or shiny ornaments. Some variegated English holly could do the trick or shine a spotlight on the area.

Maybe you’d like to remember your trip to Mardi Gras and drape some colorful beads on the swag. A string of battery-operated tiny fairy lights. Laminated bits of photographs or Christmas cards. Sea shells, painted acorns, a cool piece of driftwood… See what’s offered in craft shops and stores specializing in Christmas decorations. There are so many fabulous materials available for your evergreen swag! Get the family or friends involved and have fun with this easy project.

Celebrate the Winter Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!

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Poinsettias: Merry and Bright!

Dec17

Poinsettias in December

Poinsettias have long been associated with Christmas celebrations and are the most popular indoor flowering plants. They appear as early as mid-November in every garden center, grocery store, florist, Christmas craft show, and hardware store across the country.

Recently, I bought one called ‘Ruby Frost’ (bred by Syngenta). It’s a short plant that fits perfectly under a table lamp. I prefer some of the novelty colors, such as the very pale, creamy peach Premium ‘Apricot’, but I didn’t see it this year. ‘Visions of Grandeur’ (Ecke) is another favorite, with soft pale pink bracts. It is stunning when grown to a large size.

Over 100 varieties are available, with new ones advertising improved features, such as darker leaves and longer-lasting bracts. The colorful parts, sometimes called flowers, are actually modified leaves called bracts. True flowers are the small yellow and red parts in the center of the youngest bracts. Poinsettias are also being bred for resistance to necrotic leaf margins, a physiological condition where the edges of bracts or leaves turn brown due to calcium deficiency.

History of Poinsettias

As you can see from the photograph below, wild poinsettias look quite different from the ones we grow today in greenhouses. The plant is native to tropical deciduous forests of Mexico, where they grow from 2′ to 12′ tall.

Seven hundred years ago, the Aztecs called the plant Cuetlaxochitl, and used the red bracts for dye. The white latex had antipyretic properties, and the Aztecs used it for treating fever (but don’t try this at home). King Netzahualcoyotl considered the poinsettia a symbol of purity, as did the Aztec King Montezuma in the 1500’s.

Wild poinsettia.

The first U.S. ambassador to Mexico (1825-1829), Joel Roberts Poinsett, introduced the plant to the United States in 1825 after seeing them in the area now known as Taxco. Poinsett, a physician and botanist, shipped specimens to his greenhouse in Greenville (or Charleston, depending on source), South Carolina. He also sent plants to Philadelphia botanist John Bartram, who, in turn, gave plants to Robert Bruist, a nurseryman who named them Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Poinsettia flowers, the cyathia.

More than 700 species belong to the Euphorbia genus, a member of the Euphorbiaceae, or spurge, family, and have in common the characteristic white sticky latex sap. A Euphorbia flower generally comprises a single female flower, without sepals, surrounded by male flowers in a cyathium (plural: cyathia). The small flowers are located in the center of the colorful bracts, which attract the attention of pollinators.

Poinsettias are not poisonous, as was previously thought. Children and family pets chewing on the leaves or stems find out fast that better things await them on, or under, the dinner table. Those rare individuals who are allergic to the sap and develop a rash should immediately seek medical attention.

The Christmas Connection

The origin of poinsettias as a Christmas tradition began in the 1500’s, in Mexico, with a poor young girl named either Pepita or Maria. Because she was unable to provide a gift to celebrate Jesus’ birthday, she was inspired by an angel to gather weeds into a bouquet and to place them by the church altar. Red blossoms sprouted from the weeds, the story goes, which turned into poinsettias.

By the 1600’s, Franciscan priests in Mexico included them in Christmas celebrations. Around the same time, the writings of a botanist named Juan Balme began to appear, describing the poinsettia.

Modern Culture of Poinsettias

In 1923, Mrs. Enteman of Jersey City, New Jersey, discovered the first oak-leaved seedling and named it, appropriately, ‘Oak Leaf’. This was the first selection suitable for pot culture. Up until the 1960’s, all selections and sports are credited with having ‘Oak Leaf’ heritage.

Poinsettias were first grown as cut flowers (‘True Red’, ‘Early Red’), and were raised in outdoor fields before moving into greenhouses in the 1960’s. Paul Ecke, a California nurseryman, began breeding, in the 1920’s, most of the varieties grown today. His company discovered a way to breed plants that branched freely. So, for decades, this secret method allowed Ecke to remain the dominant grower…until the secret was revealed by a student, this story goes. Good branching structure and shorter stems culminated in their ‘Eckespoint Freedom’, in 1992.

Pennsylvania State University, the University of Maryland, and several commercial breeding programs proliferated in the 1950’s. Dr. Robert N. Stewart, of the Univ. of Maryland’s Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville MD, bred poinsettias with stiff stems, large bracts, and new colors. ‘Paul Mikkelsen’, named in 1963, was the first long-lasting poinsettia crop. ‘Annette Hegga Red’, with multi-bracted stems from pinching, and other sports were imported from Norway in 1964.

Before these new improvements came on the gardening scene, poinsettias grew long stems and were trained to look like a paperclip—“tromboning”, it was called.

Currently, California leads the nation (total: 34 million plants) in the number of poinsettias grown. The USDA reports that, in 2013, California grew 6 million plants. North Carolina came in second, with 4.4 million pots grown. Then Texas with 3.7 million pots, and Florida and Ohio, each with about 3 million pots. Red is the most popular color, claiming ¾ of all U.S. sales, followed by white, and then pink.

Poinsettias accounted for 23% of all U.S. indoor flowering potted plant sales in 2013. They contributed $144 million of the $618 million in this category.

Varieties

: ‘Princettia’ poinsettia.

: Red poinsettia.

Looking for a basic red poinsettia is no longer a simple task. There are cherry reds and scarlet reds, deep velvety reds and burgundies. Some bloom early and some bloom later, and can last in color for months! There are plants with dark green foliage or a lighter shade of green. And there’s ‘Winter Rose’ (Ecke) with bracts that are curled, resembling a rosette. ‘Carousel’ (Ecke) adds a bit of a frill, with its wavy-edged bracts. ‘Mirage’ and ‘Lyra’ (both from Syngenta) were introduced in 2017. Every year or two, new introductions come to the marketplace.

Solid pinks, in shades from very pale to vibrant, and from clear pink to peach to salmon, broaden the palette. And, of course, there’s white, although most white poinsettias are creamy yellow and mature somewhat white, as in ‘Freedom White’ and the recent ‘Merry White’ (Selecta). The newer ‘Princettia’ series does have a pure white variety, and also several pink shades. These colors offer tones that fit better, stylistically, in many homes.

: Orange poinsettia.

: A painted poinsettia.

If bright rich orange is your color, there’s a poinsettia for you! ‘Lemon Drop’ and ‘Gold Rush’ bring even more color selections. But the traditional reds, such as the ‘Freedom’, ‘Prestige’, ‘Premier’, and ‘Viking’ series are still the favorites and readily available.

For those who dare, spray paints and glitter can be applied. White poinsettias suddenly, magically, become blue or purple! Very striking, unnatural some would say, and not for the faint of heart!

Variegated Bracts and Foliage

A poinsettia with variegated bracts.

Variegated leaves, with creamy yellow margins, add another dimension, as in ‘Holly Point’. The newer ‘Tapestry’ (Ecke; photo, end of this section) is more vigorous than ‘Holly Point’ and more resistant to necrotic leaf margins. Foliage is gray-green in the center, and bracts are cherry red.

‘Mars Marble’ has cream margins with soft pink in the center of the bracts. ‘Christmas Angel Marbella’ (Selecta) also has creamy margins around salmon-pink centers.

For something a little different, there are series with spotted and splotched bracts. ‘Glitter’ (Ecke), ‘Shimmer Surprise’, ‘Tri-Color’, and ‘Jingle Bells’ look as if they’ve been splattered by white or pink paint. Some cultivars have yellow spots!

‘Ice Punch’ has red bracts with a blaze of pinkish white in the center. ‘Ruby Frost’ offers marbling in shades of pink, white, and red. (Note: the plant I purchased was labeled ‘Ruby Frost’, but it differs in appearance from photos in NC State Poinsettia Trials.)

: Varieties with spotted bracts have varying amounts of cream.

: ‘Ruby Frost’?

‘Strawberries and Cream’ (photo, below) is a diminutive variety, often grown in a 4 1/2″ pot. It has oak-leaved bracts that are cream on the margin and deep salmon pink in the center. Because of its size, it fits nicely in a basket with small-leaved English ivy, a Norfolk Island pine, and a young fern. Cover the pots with Spanish moss, add a bow, and you’re all set!

To hide bare stems near the bottom of the plant, simply add sprigs of evergreens and pine cones. Or use them in baskets, lined with plastic to prevent leakage, with other plants surrounding the bare stems. Keep them in the pots and move the plants around until you arrive at a pleasing arrangement.

: ‘Tapestry’, with variegated foliage.

: ‘Apricot’ and ‘Strawberries and Cream’.

Headings

Page 1: Poinsettias in December, History of Poinsettias, The Christmas Connection, Modern Culture of Poinsettias, Varieties, and Variegated Bracts and Foliage

Page 2: How To Care For Poinsettias (Growing Conditions), Outdoors For the Summer, And Back Indoors Again, and National Poinsettia Day

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Paperwhite Narcissus: Fragrant And Easy To Grow

Dec2

paperwhite narcissus 'Winter Sun', white flowers, yellow cup

‘Winter Sun’ paperwhite daffodil.

The Paperwhite Narcissus

Among the easiest plants to grow for fragrant blooms in winter is the paperwhite narcissus, Narcissus papyraceus. Success is practically guaranteed, since the flowers are already inside the bulbs when you buy them. All they need to sprout is light and moisture. Yes—it’s that easy!

Bulbs are available in autumn, alongside their hardier daffodil cousins, and sometimes into winter. Narcissus papyraceus is the name used by the Royal Horticultural Society. It lists Narcissus papyraceus subsp. tazetta as a synonym.

Purchase the bulbs by the end of November if you want blooms for Christmas. But, if time is running short, garden centers and florists will have potted paperwhite narcissus already sprouting or in flower right up to Christmas and often into the New Year.

Look for large, healthy bulbs that feel solid when you lightly squeeze them. Bulbs generally will bloom 3 to 4 weeks after planting them; some require a week or two more. Keep them cool—in the 50’s F—until they’re planted.

How To Plant Paperwhite Narcissus Indoors

With Roots In Water

Many gardeners prefer the traditional method of growing bulbs on a bed of decorative gravel or pebbles. Simply place a layer of pebbles in a shallow non-draining ceramic bowl or a glass container. Maintain the water level just below the bottom of the bulbs, which will sense the humidity and begin to grow roots. It won’t be long before growth emerges.

If you don’t see roots within a few days, add water until it touches the bottom of the bulbs. Once roots are visible, maintain the water level right below the bulbs. When the bulbs begin absorbing water, remember to refill the container to keep the roots wet. Avoid submerging bulbs in the water, which can cause rot.

Another method of forcing paperwhite narcissus is to rest a bulb in the top of a “bulb-forcing vase”, keeping water just under the bottom of the bulb. These vases come in a few sizes, so look for the small one made for daffodils. Amaryllis bulbs are sometimes grown this way in a larger vase.

With Roots In Soil

Paperwhite bulbs on the soil surface.

I prefer forcing bulbs in potting soil. Place paperwhite narcissus bulbs for forcing close together, unlike bulbs planted in the garden. Several bulbs will fit in a 6″ or 7″ pot.

Put some potting soil in the bottom third of the pot and nestle in the bulbs. Then, add some soil between the bulbs, and see if you can layer in a few more. It’s okay if the bulbs’ noses protrude above the soil. Other gardeners might place the bulbs fully exposed on top of the soil. Now water the pot.

The root systems of paperwhite narcissus bulbs grow very vigorously. In fact, strong young roots often push the bulbs higher in the medium. Gently push them back down; eventually the roots will more securely grab the soil.

One or two bulbs in a small decorative pot also makes a lovely presentation. When selling plants at the Christmas shows, I offered sprouted single paperwhites in 3″ aged clay pots. The bulb was planted high with a collar of fluffy green sheet moss tucked in the soil around the inside rim of the pot. I added a twig and holiday ribbon or a few pieces of raffia around the leaves. Add a clay saucer…very cute. Perfect for a windowsill that’s too cold for other houseplants.

I also planted paperwhites in ceramic bowls, 6″ and 7″ pots, and in squares of burlap, with moss and a bow, surrounding the pots and saucers. Customers enjoyed choosing among the different presentations to fit their needs.

Larger Bulbs

When I sold potted paperwhites in the fall and early winter, I purchased the largest bulbs available from suppliers. This ensured the greatest number of flowers, 2 or 3 multi-flowering stems per bulb. They were worth the additional cost.

Will Paperwhite Narcissus Come Back Next Year?

Forced bulbs have been weakened by the process and require an extra year or two in the garden, gathering strength before they’ll bloom again. Paperwhite narcissus bulbs for forcing are planted close together, but space them about 6″ apart in the garden.

In colder climates throughout the U.S., most varieties are not winter hardy. Gardeners in Zones 8-11, however, can plant them outdoors, where they usually return every spring. At the end of this article, I include a list of varieties and their USDA hardiness zones.

If you plan to set them into the garden after enjoying the forced blooms, keep the plants moist, give them direct sunlight, and do not cut off the foliage. It’s the same for paperwhites as it is for spring-flowering bulbs: leaves photosynthesize, storing nourishment in the bulbs. The more carbohydrates produced, the more flowers you’ll see in the future. For all bulbs, therefore, wait until the foliage has yellowed before removing it.

If your plans include saving the bulbs for the garden, force your paperwhites in potting soil. But don’t expect much of a floral show in the next flowering cycle. Bulbs growing in pots have depleted all the stored energy and require sunshine, moisture, nutrients, and time to gather enough strength to flower again.

As you can see from the list of varieties, several are hardy in colder climates. Left in the garden, they will bloom according to seasonal cues. Like other daffodils, roots grow in autumn, followed by the blooms in late winter to spring.

Temperature

Average indoor temperatures encourage rapid sprouting. Bright green leaves emerge before the tightly budded flowers. Temperature is one factor that determines how quickly the plants grow. Bulbs planted in late November to early December will probably flower for Christmas if they’re given temperatures in the high 60’s to 70°F. Rates of growth can vary, though, depending on the cultivar.

Let’s say you planted your bulbs on Thanksgiving Day, but now prefer to delay the bloom as long as possible. This is where lowering the temperature can help. Plants in full bloom or showing flower buds will slow down their development if they are kept very cool. And I mean “back porch” cool!

Don’t let them freeze. Expose plants to temperatures in the 40’s to just about stop them in their tracks. They probably would survive close to freezing temperatures, but the leaves might flop over. Cool temperatures keep the plants shorter overall. If the leaves are falling over, gather them together and secure with ribbon or raffia to a stake.

Watch the weather forecast to see if the plants can be kept outdoors overnight. But don’t forget to water them. Incidentally, deer and rodents won’t eat your paperwhite narcissus.

Chill!

When you bring the plants in for the night, put them in a very cool location. On the floor near a chilly patio door or in a cold window should suffice. Or in the garage if it’s cool but not freezing. Avoid placing them where they’ll feel the warm dry air from the heater. Kept very cool, the flowers last longer and growth will slow down.

Sure, bring them in for a few hours while your friends are over. (Not everyone likes the fragrance, though, so you might ask your guests.) Some varieties are less fragrant and are noted as such in the list of varieties, below.

Of course, there is the option of just letting them grow without fussing over them. If plants are available at the garden center, simply replace the old with the new. But if you prefer to grow them yourself, potting up a few bulbs every 7 to 10 days will give you a succession of blooms.

Planters Outdoors

If the weather remains chilly but not freezing, you can incorporate pre-started pots of paperwhites into patio planter combinations. Add evergreens, berried boughs, pansies or violas, and seasonal embellishments. I did this a few times, and, given favorable weather conditions, the flowers lasted for weeks.

Light and Water for Paperwhite Narcissus

Another factor that determines how well the plants grow is light. Direct sunlight will keep them shorter, but along with that come higher temperatures. So, try to find a spot that’s cool and sunny, like a chilly window.

Plants grow weaker in low light levels, and flowers—if they open—will be of lower quality.

Keep the plants moist at all times, using cool tap water. A vigorous root system dries the pot quickly, so check the plants every day. Dry soil will damage the flower buds.

Please Pass the Vodka

No, not for me. It’s for the paperwhites! In 2005, Dr. William Miller and student Erin Finan at the Cornell University Department of Horticulture studied the effects of alcohol on paperwhite narcissus.

First, they gave clear water to the bulbs until they began rooting out. After that, they found that plants were about one-third shorter when bulbs received a 4-6% solution of alcohol. So, a 1:7 to 1:9 solution (alcohol:water) will keep the plants shorter. (Divide “proof” by 2 to get alcohol content. For example, 80 proof is 40% alcohol. 40 ÷ 5% target = 8. Subtract 1. This results in a ratio of 1:7.)

Some online sources recommend a more concentrated alcohol content (1:5), but I wonder if that would interfere with water uptake.

This works on paperwhites grown in water or in soil.

Fact of Life: Floppy Paperwhite Narcissus

Even with good growing conditions, the leaves of paperwhites grow tall and eventually fall over. Prepare for this ahead of time, and have some bamboo stakes, twigs from the garden, or a short decorative trellis and some twine, raffia, or ribbon to secure the stems. And maybe a little gin…for the bulbs.

Paperwhites offer a powerful fragrance. Maybe there are better places to display them instead of next to the Christmas turkey. For the same reason most cooks prefer unscented candles on the dinner table, paperwhites can find some other place for the occasion. Perhaps they can keep company with the cyclamen in the chilly foyer.

Cut Flowers

Many paperwhite cultivars are suitable as cut flowers. But water uptake in other types of flowers can be hindered by compounds in the daffodils’ sap.

This also applies to hardy springtime daffodils that emerge in the garden, so keep cut daffodils by themselves for longer-lasting tulips, hyacinths, and others.

Off With the Old

When the scent loses its appeal, trim off the entire flower stem. Don’t discard the plant; there might be another flower stem that will emerge, even if the bud is not immediately visible. Remember to keep the soil moist.

Place finished pots in the garage or a chilly basement, in the sun, and continue to water. Keep them growing if they’re hardy where you live. Gardeners can plant their bloomed-out paperwhites outdoors after the harsh months of winter have passed.

Even though the varieties I grew were not hardy in Maryland, where I used to live, the plants and their soil were discarded under the shrubs or in the borders instead of at the landfill. The organic matter still had value in the garden.

paperwhite narcissus in a decorative pot, planted 1/6/19

‘Winter Sun’ bulbs.

Varieties of Paperwhite Narcissus

Subspecies of N. papyraceus have broad distribution around the world. They’re native to or have naturalized in southeast France, northwest Italy, Sardinia, the Canary Islands, Turkey, Greece, Israel, southeast China, South Korea, Japan, India, and Nepal. They also are found in Australia, New Zealand, Algeria, Morocco, Bermuda, Mexico, South America, and in United States along the south and west coasts.

The term tazetta derives from the Italian word “tazza”, which is a shallow wine cup. These plants used to be called Narcissus tazetta, but recent nomenclature classifies them as Narcissus papyraceus subspecies tazetta. All paperwhites are in the Amaryllidaceae family.

Alphabetically, and all are fragrant:

‘Ariel’: large pure white flowers that face down slightly. Good for forcing, one source says grow only in soil. Zones 8-11.
‘Avalanche’: white with greenish-yellow cup, strong fragrance. Called ‘Seventeen Sisters’ in the 1700’s for its profuse blooms. Heirloom; award winner. Mid-spring, zones 6-9.
‘Canaliculatus’: white with yellow cup, sweetly fragrant, 4 to 7 flowers per stem. Short, to 6″ tall. Heirloom. Mid-spring, zones 6-10.
‘Chinese Sacred Lily’ (N. tazetta chinensis or orientalis): white with golden yellow cup, wonderful fragrance, 5 to 10 small flowers per stem, might be not as free-flowering as others. One source said to give it a little bottom heat (about 70°F) to coax the flowers. Three to five weeks to bloom. To 16″ tall. Brought from China in the 1800’s and used to celebrate Chinese New Year. Zones 8-11.
‘Cragford’: white with vivid orange cup, 4 to 6 flowers per stem. Excellent cut flower (strong stem). Good forcer, 1′ to 2′ tall. Heirloom, award winner. Zones 5-9.
‘Erlicheer’: double white with yellow mixed in, to 16″ tall. Award winner. Zones 6-9.
‘Falconet’: deep yellow with orange-red cup, 3 to 8 flowers per stem, strong fragrance. Excellent cut flower, 1′ to 2′ tall. Award winner. Mid-spring, zones 5-9.
‘Galilee’: all white, 10 to 15 flowers per stem, musky scent. Good for forcing. Zones 8-11.
‘Geranium’: white with yellow-orange cup, very fragrant. Several stems, each with 3 to 6 flowers. Well-drained soil, good in the South. Up to 15″ tall. Award winner. Zones 4-9.
‘Grand Soleil d’Or’: bright yellow with orange cup, 10 to 20 flowers per stem. Delicate fruity fragrance. Good forcer but takes longer to grow. To 18″ tall. Very early spring, zones 8-11.
‘Inbal’: large clusters of white flowers, flat cup. Good for forcing, milder fragrance. Zones 8-11.
‘Jerusalem’: large white flowers, mild sweet fragrance. To 20″ tall. Zones 8-11.
‘Minnow’: pale yellow with yellow cup, fading with age, 2 to 5 flowers per stem. 8″ to 10″ tall, nice in rock gardens. Award winner. Zones 5-9.
‘Nazareth’ (‘Yael’): creamy white, mildly sweet fragrance. To 14″ tall. Zones 8-11.
‘Scilly White’: white with short pale yellow cup, 3 to 20 flowers per stem. Sweet scent, but not as strong as others. To 20″ tall. Late winter/early spring flowers. Zones 8-11.
‘Winter Sun’ (‘Wintersun’): white with buttery-yellow to clear yellow cup. 4 to 5 weeks to bloom, milder fragrance. Zones 8-10, one source said Zones 9-11. (Photo, below).
‘Ziva’: pure white, large cluster. 3 to 4 stems per bulb. Sweet, spicy scent. Zones 8-11. Also, the favorite for forcing.

‘Winter Sun’, one month after potting up.

If you prefer a milder fragrance, start with those indicated as such in the list above. Photographs of several cultivars can be found online.

In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy potting up a few of these paperwhite narcissus bulbs. Tuck a pot into a large basket with other winter flowers (Amaryllis, Poinsettia), some English ivy, and ‘Frosty’ fern for a festive arrangement.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season to all!

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How To Keep Cyclamen In Bloom

Nov26

It’s Time For Cyclamen!

A florist’s cyclamen.

Cyclamen are perfect winter-blooming plants. Miniature varieties don’t take up much space, and they can fit in just about anywhere–a cool windowsill, the kitchen table, or a guest room. The cyclamen found in garden centers in autumn are florist’s cyclamen, which I’ll describe after the section on hardy cyclamen.

Now that we’re well into autumn, temperatures dip below freezing at night. Outdoor gardening activities are less critical, and preparing for the holidays takes priority.

Garden centers are brimful with enticing delights—real trees (fake ones, too) and wreaths and all the trimmings… Strings of miniature Christmas lights (“annuals”, according to some), bird feeders, seed and suet…

And plants, of course. Poinsettias in an ever-widening assortment of cultivars, paperwhite narcissus bulbs in bins or sprouting in pots, stately amaryllis in dozens of colors…and benches of cyclamen in sprightly pinks, reds, bicolors, and pure white.

I’ve always loved miniature cyclamen. Sometimes you can find one with an especially delightful scent. The miniatures, to me, are easier to manage and stay in bloom longer than the larger types. A pink miniature from last Christmas just went out of bloom, yet summoned the energy to form 20 new flower buds.

Now, they won’t bloom forever, but with careful maintenance, miniature cyclamen can bloom for many months.

Cyclamen are truly versatile. They easily fit into combination arrangements with Norfolk Island pine, English ivy, small poinsettias, and houseplants seeking company.

Grow them in rustic clay pots, in modern ceramics, in birch logs, and in baskets. Or clustered on the credenza with candles, amaryllis, and fresh greens. And near the front door, in the chilly foyer, under a desk lamp, with some ornaments, and, yes, more greens.

There are two groups of cyclamen: those that are hardy and can tolerate cold temperatures when planted in the garden (“Hardy Cyclamen”) and those that are grown for indoor culture (“Florist’s Cyclamen”).

Hardy Cyclamen—We Can Take the Cold

There are about two dozen species of cyclamen available to gardeners, all belonging to the Primulaceae family. In addition to Cyclamen, other members in the family include Primula, Lysimachia, Dodecatheon, and about 50 other genera.

The hardy Cyclamen hederifolium.

***Cyclamen* *Hederifolium***

Cyclamen hederifolium is the most commonly found hardy cyclamen. The ivy-leaved cyclamen grows outdoors in USDA Zones 5 to 7, and can take temperatures down to -20°F. Its resemblance to English ivy (Hedera helix) explains the specific epithet, hederifolium.

Although it has naturalized in the Pacific Northwest, it is native to rocky woodlands and scrub in the Mediterranean region, from southern France to Turkey, and to islands in the Mediterranean Sea. This species is adaptable, readily self-seeds, and grows from sea level to about 4,000′ in elevation.

In late summer and autumn, pink flowers with darker eyes emerge among the silver-mottled leaves. Cyclamen needs gritty soil with lots of organic matter to keep it happy. Roots of this species emerge from the sides and the top of the tuber. Be careful not to cultivate the soil above the tuber, which will damage roots and the “floral trunks”, extensions of the tuber that bear flower buds.

Large tubers of the ivy-leaved cyclamen that I grew for sale arrived in mid summer. I potted them into 4½” pots, slightly bigger than the tubers. Half the soil consisted of drainage material. Coarse sand, pine fines, and small gravel (like PermaTill) mixed with potting soil in a 1:1 ratio encouraged roots to grow. But they rooted…very…slowly. Tubers rot in soil that holds too much water, so good soil preparation is important for long-term success.

Hardy cyclamen.

Rooted In and Around

Decades ago, in Maryland, I planted a C. hederifolium tuber in a friend’s front yard, under a young Japanese maple. About 10 or 15 years later, she asked if it could be dug and taken to her new house. After some exploration, I felt a flattened tuber the size of a dinner-plate! But it was pinned in position by the aggressive roots of the maple tree.

It could not be pried loose, so it remains there today. Planted where the soil dries out while the tuber is dormant was probably part of the key to success. The maple absorbed a great deal of the water in spring and summer.

More Hardy Cyclamen Species

Here are some of the hardy cyclamen species, listed from more cold-tolerant first:

hederifolium (USDA Zones 5-7): described above.
coum (Zones 5 or 6 to 8): 4″ tall, small dark green or variegated leaves with deep red reverse. Pink to purple blooms appear in late winter to early spring. Similar to parviflorum, but coum grows at lower elevations in northern Turkey, and the two don’t hybridize.
purpurascens (Zones 6-7): fragrant deep pink flowers in summer. Its silver-mottled foliage is nearly evergreen. Native to northern Italy and central Europe.
cilicium (Zones 6-8): white to pale pink flowers in fall to winter, and silver-mottled leaves.
mirabile (Zones 6-8): small flowers in autumn.
parviflorum (Zones 6-9): a green-leaved species, from 4,000′ to 7900′ elevation (alpine tundra, subalpine meadow) in northern Turkey. Small tuber, only ¾” across.
repandum (Zones 7-8): coarsely toothed leaf margins, silver-marbled.
graecum (Zones 7-9): Greek cyclamen blooms in autumn with white or pink, often fragrant, flowers. From southern Greece and southern Turkey.

Collectors grow many of the species cyclamen, keeping them year-round in cool greenhouses. Information on websites varies regarding bloom time, flower color, and leaf color. Rare species and forms of species are available from specialty nurseries and garden clubs.

It takes a few years for cold-hardy species to flower from seed. In the wild, seeds are coated with a sweet sticky substance, which attracts ants. They feed on the sweet part, and discard the seeds. This method of seed dispersal, by ants, is called myrmecochory, in case you were wondering.

**Because of dwindling native populations, be sure to ask for “nursery-propagated tubers”. This is not synonymous with “nursery-grown tubers”.**

*** * * * * * * ***

Florist’s Cyclamen

This is the species that is most widely grown for indoor cultivation.

Cyclamen persicum comes from rocky hillsides, up to 3900′ elevation, in south-central Turkey, Israel, Jordan, and in parts of northern Africa. It is also found in some of the Greek islands, where monks grew it and introduced it to traders.

Native populations of this species had fragrant pink flowers. Although much of the fragrance has been lost in hybridization, some modern strains, especially the miniature and intermediate varieties, once again have some scent. They don’t throw scent far from their flowers, so smell the flowers before purchasing if fragrance is what you want.

Cyclamen are available in autumn, during the winter holidays, and for Valentine’s Day. In cool regions, some garden centers offer them in early spring.

Flowers come in a wide range of colors, including white, pink shades, salmon, scarlet, deep red, burgundy, lilac, and shades of purple. They can be solid or bicolor, or finely edged in a contrasting color (“picotee”). Breeders have come up with micro miniatures, miniatures, intermediates, and large-growing standard strains.

Foliage differs from one strain to another, some showing little silver mottling, and others showing bold silver variegation. Leaf margins can be smooth, lobed, or somewhat toothed. Flowers, too, can vary in form, from smooth to ruffled to fringed.

Keep cyclamen away from children and animals. Ingestion can cause abdominal distress, seizures, and even death.

Combinations

A few miniature cyclamen and variegated English ivy in a clay pot.

These were fast sellers where I attended winter farmers’ markets in Olney MD, around Washington, D.C., and at the Carroll County Christmas shows in Westminster, MD.

In a Basket

‘Frosty’ fern (Selaginella sp.), a fern ally.

In cool conditions, group together cyclamen, kalanchoe, ‘Frosty’ fern, and lemon button fern. Add a small pot of English ivy to trail over the sides. Small grasses, such as mondo grass or Carex, add textural contrast to combinations.

I kept the plants in their pots, and snuggled them together in baskets lined with plastic. Add Spanish or green sheet moss, holiday ribbon or raffia, and maybe some small pine cones for the finishing touches.

Never allow water to collect in the bottom of a pot cover or a decorative container.

In a Pot

They also can be potted together. Use a shallow pot that snugly fits the root systems of the plants; keep them potbound.

The popular ‘Frosty’ fern, a Selaginella, develops white tips in cool conditions, and must be kept moist. More options include Norfolk Island pine, English ivy, and other plants that take the same conditions.

Clay pots allow soil to dry faster than non-porous pots. Potting cyclamen with other plants can be a bit tricky, especially if light levels are not optimal. Their tubers can rot in pots that are too large or if the soil is too wet.

Strains of Florist’s Cyclamen

Marbled cyclamen foliage.

Most customers aren’t concerned with the name of the cyclamen, but some are. A strain called Verrano tolerates higher, but not tropical, temperatures. The new Dreamscape strain performs well over a longer period of time. These are good choices for landscape beds in moderate to cool temperatures during the “shoulder” seasons, when they’re not exposed to frost.

A few of the miniature strains growers sell for indoors are Mini Winter (also good in cool, moist landscapes), Fantasia, and Snowridge Mini. Intermediate strains include Laser, Snowridge Midi, and Allure. For larger pots (5″ to 7″), growers offer Sierra, Mammoth, Fleur en Vogue, and Friller.

Strains with heavy silver variegation are beautiful even without flowers. Picasso (fragrant flowers) and Silverado are two popular miniature cyclamen strains. Rembrandt is an intermediate cyclamen, and Winter Ice is a larger standard with broad silver markings. Halios ‘White Silverleaf’ is a newer white-flowering cultivar with wide silver edging on the leaves. Metalis, an intermediate strain introduced in the 2020 California spring trials, has a broad silver margin, a green central heart, and can be used indoors and in the landscape.

Varieties coming to market are bred for leaf color, flower fragrance, and disease resistance. Breeders also are looking for larger bloom counts and for blooms that bunch in the center. Another variety in the 2020 spring trials is the heat tolerant ‘Leopardo’.

What About the Seedpods?

Remove seedpods to encourage more blooms.

We normally remove faded flowers and their stems, encouraging more flowers to form. But, sometimes, for fun, I let seedpods develop at the end of the bloom cycle.

The flower stem curls curiously downward, and the pod splits open when the seeds are ripe. A fully developed seedpod resembles a grape.

Florist’s cyclamen grow quite easily from seed; they just take a long time to get to flowering size. Older strains of cyclamen needed 15 to 18 months from seed to flower. Newer varieties take only half that amount of time.

Seeds germinate soon after ripening if planted about ¼” deep. They germinate better in the dark, in high humidity, and with temperatures in the mid 60’s F. Tiny cyclamen leaves emerge after the tuber has begun to grow. I used to grow seedlings in 9-cell market packs until they were ready, months later, for 4″ pots. To save time, however, I purchased pre-finished cyclamen to sell at garden shows after they bulked up and came into flower.

Headings

Page 1: It’s Time For Cyclamen!, Hardy Cyclamen—We Can Take the Cold (Cyclamen Hederifolium, Rooted In and Around, More Hardy Cyclamen Species), Florist’s Cyclamen (Combinations, Strains Of Florist’s Cyclamen), and What About the Seedpods?

Page 2: Starting Out With Cyclamen, Choosing Cyclamen, Water, They Like It Cool (Miniature Cyclamen Might Be Easier), On a Chilly Porch, Dormancy, New Digs (Potting Soil), Fertilizer for Cyclamen, Light, Deadheading Cyclamen, and For Further Research

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How To Get Amaryllis To Bloom This Winter

Jul16

updated 1/17/2024

We’ve enjoyed this deep red amaryllis for many years.

While watering the gardens yesterday, I noticed that all the amaryllis pots next to the fence had been overturned by some middle-of-the-night visitors. Most likely raccoons were to blame, because the bird feeder was empty and the bird bath was dirty. Now is a good time to address the question,

“How do I get amaryllis bulbs to bloom again this winter?”

Most amaryllis plants are sold in 6″ or 7″ pots from Thanksgiving through winter. When garden centers and other growers order bulbs, they not only have a huge assortment of colors to choose from, but they also have the option of buying bulbs that are graded by circumference. The larger the bulb, the more flower stalks you can expect from it…and the more it costs. Many customers willingly pay several dollars more for a large bulb, knowing that it could produce 3 or 4 flower stalks instead of 1 or 2. But that’s worth the price, if you ask me.

A Brief History

Carl Linnaeus in 1753 named a flowering bulb probably from South Africa, but maybe from South America, Amaryllis belladonna. This plant was thought to be the South African Cape Belladonna. Elsewhere, the first named Hippeastrum species was dubbed the “Knight’s-star-lily” (origin unknown) by English botanist William Herbert. The confusion begins, although similar characteristics of both genera place them within the family Amaryllidaceae.

Hardy from USDA zones 6 to 8, true Amaryllis species have naturalized along the west coast of the United States, where conditions are similar to their native South Africa. Most of this article refers, however, to the genus Hippeastrum, the popular holiday amaryllis.

Breeding of the now familiar Christmas amaryllis began in 1799, when British watchmaker Arthur Johnson crossed Hippeastrum reginae with H. vittatum, two species collected in South America. By the mid 1800’s, his hybrids started showing up in the United States.

In the early 1800’s, British explorer and botanist Richard Pearce hybridized H. leopoldii and H. pardinum, two species he’d found in the Andes while employed by James Veitch and Sons Nursery. These crosses produced plants with large and mostly symmetrical flowers.

By 1821, Herbert had described 14 species of Hippeastrum and 3 species of Amaryllis in “The Botanical Register”.

Pearce’s Leopoldii hybrids were crossed with the best of Johnson’s Reginae strains into the mid 1800’s, in the Netherlands. These hybrids formed the basis for breeding most of the large-flowered Dutch hybrids available today.

Breeding continued as new species from South America were collected and sent to Europe. Reginae strains hybridized by Jan de Graaff and sons in the mid 1800’s were crossed with several Hippeastrum species and hybrids available in Europe at that time. Meanwhile, the common name “amaryllis” was loosely applied to plants in both the true Amaryllis and the Hippeastrum genera.

You Say Amaryllis, and I Say Hippeastrum

A pale yellow amaryllis.

Debate over use of the terms “Amaryllis” and “Hippeastrum” continued for 200 years. It wasn’t until 1987 that the taxonomy finally had been clarified. The 14th International Botanical Congress decided that “Amaryllis” is the correct name for the South African genus, not the South American genus.

Nevertheless, we still call holiday Hippeastrum plants by their common name, amaryllis. There are approximately 90 species of Hippeastrum native to tropical and sub-tropical areas of South America, from Argentina to Mexico and the Caribbean. More than 600 cultivars are available.

In hardiness zones 7b and south, amaryllis (meaning Hippeastrum) bulbs planted below the frost line in well-drained soil probably will perennialize.

Today, bulbs are grown in many countries, including the Netherlands, Israel, Peru, South Africa, India, Australia, and the U.S. New amaryllis cultivars periodically come to the market, adding to the huge variety of colors and forms: white, pink, peach, coral, orange, scarlet red, deep red, yellow, and bicolors. Flowers can be a single row of petals, or double, or triple, and they can be broad-petaled or spidery, rounded or pointed. Both miniatures and full-size plants are available.

Most modern cultivars have ancestry from several species, including H. aulicum, leopoldii, pardinum, puniceum, reginae, and vittatum. We also see hybrids in the species H. papilio and H. cybister.

Pollinating the Flowers

Anthers, and stigma at bottom of photograph.

The photograph shows pollen, in the male anthers, that’s transferred to the female part, the stigma, during pollination. Gardeners not interested in collecting seeds can remove the anthers before they mature and spill their dusty contents on the flowers.

Hobbyists can easily pollinate plants. The pollen and the stigma have to be mature for fertilization to take place. Seeds require many weeks to develop in the pods, and several years to get to flowering size. (***Update***: I’ve had good results when sowing the seeds shallowly as soon as they loosen from the seedpod. 12/2022)

The next generation—seedlings resulting from genetic recombination—will be a mixed bag of pretty, gorgeous, or pretty hum-drum flowers. You could come up with something unique!

Amaryllis plants are propagated not only by seeds but also by tissue culture under laboratory conditions. Tissue culture yields the largest number of plants and they’re identical to the original plant.

Bulblets growing at the base of the bulb can be separated and grown on for a few years before flowering begins. They’re visible when you dig up the bulbs at the end of the growing season. Separate and pot up the large ones, but let the small ones grow attached to the mother bulb for another year or two.

Other methods of propagation, called chipping, notching, and twin-scaling, involve cutting the bulb into smaller pieces. Dusted with fungicide and potted in vermiculite, small bulblets will grow, which later can be separated and grown on.

The first amaryllis to bloom indoors, late winter, 2019.

In the photograph above, notice that this flower has triple the normal number of petals. You might see, also, the absence of anthers and stigmas in the flower. This is common in petal doubling or tripling with many species of flowers. Consequently, these cultivars must be propagated vegetatively since they can’t set seed.

Amaryllis Seedpods

: 2 amaryllis seedpods, mid May, 2019.

: Fully mature amaryllis seedpods, late May, 2019.

I hand pollinated some of the flowers in winter and harvested seeds about 3 months later.

As the tough, recurving Y-shaped membrane (a light color, in right photo) dries thoroughly, it forces the pod to open, revealing the black seeds. Mother Nature came up with this ingenious process that allows the seeds to dry and to be as separate from each other as possible, aiding dispersal.

What To Do With Your Plants Now

What prompted me to write about amaryllis were the tumbled and torn plants found in the back yard. They can be fixed. Ten pots bloomed from February through May; we enjoyed a succession of flowers for months! New soil will replace tired, old soil, with the neck and shoulders of the bulb remaining above soil level.

If your plants have been weakened after wintering indoors, plant them in well-drained composted garden soil for the summer months. Wait for frost-free weather to put them outside. Give them direct sun in the morning up to early afternoon. In hot regions, keep them out of direct sun in the afternoon, although dappled shade at that time is fine.

Don’t plant too deeply; keep the neck of the bulb above ground level. Plants that have been languishing indoors should be moved gradually into more sun, or the tender leaves will suffer sun scald. Even if they do burn, several new stronger leaves will grow. Amaryllis bulbs grown in garden soil usually recover faster than those growing in pots.

If the long strap-like leaves don’t stand upright, you can stake them gently to keep them off the ground. It wouldn’t hurt to sprinkle some Sluggo granules around them because slugs and snails can damage the foliage or the bulb.

Red Blotch

Before planting amaryllis in the ground for the summer, check them for red streaks or splotches. You might have noticed this disease as the flower stems emerged from the bulbs months ago. This condition indicates a fungal disease caused by Stagonophora curtisii. The disease infects bulbs, leaves, and flower stems. Affected cells die, but surrounding tissues continue expanding, causing leaves or the flower stem to bend.

Peel off infected outer bulb scales and leaves. Throw those parts into the trash rather than composting them, as the spores can spread to other bulbous plants. A systemic fungicide might help clear up the disease. Ask your agricultural extension agent for advice.

When summering amaryllis outdoors in the ground, plant with half of the bulb exposed to air. Avoid splashing water near the top of the bulb, where the disease could take hold.

Physical damage also can cause red or reddish-brown areas. Although those areas look diseased, the rest of the plant continues to grow normally. In this case, fungus is not the problem. However, pathogens can gain entry into the host through bruised tissues.

Headings

Page 1: “How do I get the amaryllis bulbs to bloom again this winter?”, A Brief History, You Say Amaryllis, and I Say Hippeastrum, Pollinating the Flowers (Amaryllis Seedpods), and What To Do With Your Plants Now (Red Blotch)

Page 2: As Amaryllis Plants Grow This Summer, The Process (The Growing Cycle Indoors, And Then Outdoors), and Potting Up New Amaryllis Bulbs (Step-By-Step, and Something’s Growing!)

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