A white amaryllis for the dark months
White is the elegant choice among Hippeastrum hybrids. Cultivars such as 'Christmas Gift' have big, clean white trumpets, sometimes with a faint green throat, while double whites look like ruffled peonies. They suit a modern room better than the traditional red and show up well against a dark window pane in December.
People who search for white amaryllis tend to ask about care: how long the flowers last, how to keep the bulb, and how to flower it again. The short answer is that each flower lasts about a week, and a bulb with two stems will stay in bloom for around three to four weeks.
Helping it last longer
- Move the pot to a cooler room at night, away from radiators.
- Do not wet the flowers when watering.
- Remove each flower as it fades, but leave the stem until all the trumpets have gone.
- Support tall stems with a cane, because the flowers are heavy.
After the show
When the flowers end, cut the stem near the bulb and let the leaves grow. Feed with liquid fertiliser and keep the pot in a bright place. By late summer reduce watering to let the bulb rest.
White in the language of flowers traditionally stands for purity. White amaryllis therefore appears in wedding arrangements, as well as in Christmas displays.
Pet safety
White ones carry the same warning as any other: the ASPCA lists amaryllis as toxic to dogs, cats and horses because of lycorine and related substances.
