The Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) is a popular winter-blooming bulb that can be encouraged to flower year after year with proper care. Deadheading, the removal of spent blooms, is an important post-flowering step. This process directly impacts the bulb’s ability to store energy, allowing it to replenish the reserves necessary to produce flowers in the next season.
Why and How to Deadhead Amaryllis Blooms
Deadheading prevents the Amaryllis from diverting energy into seed production. If spent flowers remain, the bulb expends valuable resources creating seed pods, which significantly weakens it. This depletion can diminish the size and number of flowers in the following bloom cycle or prevent reblooming entirely.
The process involves removing only the individual withered flower heads from the top of the stalk, called the scape. Use clean, sharp shears or scissors to snip off the faded blooms where they attach to the main stalk. Alternatively, gently pinch off the flower remnants, being careful not to damage the thick, hollow stalk. This removal redirects the bulb’s energy toward foliage growth rather than seed formation.
Stalk Management After Deadheading
Once the flowers are removed, the remaining green flower stalk (scape) should be left intact. The stalk is still capable of photosynthesis and continues to produce food for the bulb. Allowing the green stalk to remain helps the bulb recover from the energy expenditure of flowering and build stored reserves.
You should wait until the thick stalk naturally begins to yellow, soften, and wilt before cutting it back. This yellowing indicates that the plant has successfully withdrawn the remaining moisture and nutrients from the stalk and returned them to the bulb. Once the stalk is completely yellowed and soft, cut it down to about one to two inches above the neck of the bulb, using a clean knife or pruners. Cutting the stalk prematurely while it is still green can cause the bulb to bleed sap and lose stored food.
Post-Bloom Care for Reblooming Success
The time immediately following the bloom cycle is the plant’s primary growth and recovery phase. The long, strap-like leaves that emerge are the plant’s food factories and must be preserved. Do not cut or fold the leaves, as they are actively engaged in photosynthesis to build up the bulb’s energy stores for the next flowering period.
During the spring and summer months, treat the Amaryllis as a growing foliage plant by providing it with bright, indirect light. Many growers move the potted plant outdoors once the danger of frost has passed, placing it in a partially shaded location. Water the plant regularly, ensuring the top two inches of soil dry out between waterings, and feed it every two to four weeks with a balanced houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength.
To initiate the next bloom cycle, the Amaryllis bulb requires a cooling and resting period, known as dormancy. In early fall, around late September, stop watering the plant entirely and move it to a cool, dark location. Temperatures should consistently remain around 50°F to 55°F during this time. This cessation of water and light signals the plant to enter its rest phase, which should last for a minimum of eight to ten weeks. After this cool, dry rest, the bulb is ready to be brought back into warmth and light, where re-watering will stimulate new growth and the eventual emergence of another flower stalk.