Sowing And Germinating Amaryllis Seeds Update

In the entry Sowing & Germinating Amaryllis Seeds I posted that one of the methods you could employ when trying to sprout Amaryllis seeds is to float them in water. I floated them in the water on Jan 8 and today is Feb 6 and a few days ago I noticed one seed had started to sprout already. As I mentioned in that entry I never had luck with it before and I'm surprised that it worked for me this time. But as I think about what I did different this time I'm guessing that this time what helped them sprout was putting them in a very warm spot where they got a lot of sun and a lot of warmth. Remember to change the water weekly and keep an eye out for evaporation and fill the water back before the seeds dry out. The seeds I started in a soil-less mix have also started to sprout. I'll update this entry with a photo of those seeds when they get large enough.

Related Posts:
How To Pollinate Amaryllis Flowers
Viable Amaryllis Seeds
Sowing And Germinating Amaryllis Seeds-Part 1

Posted by AmaryllisBulbs at 1:11 PM

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27 comments:

  1. Back in 2006, and on a whim, I took a watercolor brush and moved pollen from one Hippeastrum flower to another on the same scape.

    Four of the 32 babies from this incestuous pairing have sent up flower stalks this year. They're pretty slender and the buds are pretty puny, but then the bulbs aren't exactly very big yet. Are they likely to get bigger with time?

    (I'd like to give away a lot of the adolescent bulbs, as I have no greenhouse and they are crowding a couple of choice windowsills right now. They summer outdoors in a shady location.)
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  2. LB,

    It is hard for me to say if they will get larger because I usually give away all of my seedlings because I don't have enough room. So, I've never grown a seedling to a large-sized bulb. But generally speaking as with other plants they should eventually look just like the parent bulb-unless the parent was a hybrid in which case who knows how big they'll get.

    Sorry I can't give you a solid answer.
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  3. Oh, how cool...do you think it is too late this year to try it??? I am going to love your Amaryllis blog! Great idea!
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  4. Nice page your part 2 link is broken. Too many http://.
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  5. Hi Julie, As long as your bulbs is in flower it isn't too late to try to pollinate the flowers and sow the seeds.

    Witchy, Thanks for the tip about the link. BTW I don't know what Bebo is but when I follow your link I just get a sign-in page for Bebo.
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  6. On May 26, I tried your method for water germinating some amaryllis seeds, and today (two weeks later) some have sprouted. How long should I wait to transfer them to a pot?

    By the way, I felt all the seeds for the inner bulge and separated them in two water dishes. The one's that I thought were infertile (flat) were the ones that have sprouted. Thanks for your info.
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  7. Hi Don,

    Good to hear that you got some seedlings going. I potted mine up after they showed signs of one root and one leaf. You can leave them in the water for a while, just don't wait too long.
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  8. Hi, thanks for your site, its really helpful. about 40 of my 50 seeds sprouted (I used the germinating tray I bought at Home Depot) and now they are about 1.5 inches tall. I've taken the lid off, but they are still indoors since its pretty hot outside. What do I do now? Plant them in small pots and then what? I'm a little confused as far as when do they hibernate, etc... Please walk me thought the steps so I won't kill them!! Thanks.
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  9. Anonymous,

    Now just let them grow. Technically you don't have to put them into dormancy, people do that to cause them to bloom at a certain time and there is no other reason for doing so. But if you leave them out for the summer in the fall they will start to go dormant on their own like other plants.
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  10. Question for you. If I don't do anything to induce dormancy will they still bloom again based on whatever external cues they pick up like day length and ambient temps like an orchid? Also, should I just stop watering if I want them to go into dormancy or should I unpot them and let them dry that way?
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  11. Anonymous,

    You can continue to grow them as a "houseplant" without ever putting them into dormancy if you'd like. The leaves will stay green and grow, the bulb will just flower whenever it feels like it.

    I've done it both ways. I've just let them in the pot away from bright sun and the leaves die, and I've also taken them out of the pot and placed them in a paper bag to induce trigger darkness.

    Both work the same.
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  12. Do you just knock the dirt away and put the whole plant in a paper bag or when putting up the bulb do you trim the leaves and roots off before putting it in a paper bag? Also, do you need to cool it off when storing it or will any old dark space do? Thanks again!
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  13. Anonymous,

    Sorry for the late reply. I do both depending on how lazy I'm feeling. A cool, dry and dark place works best.
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  14. I just finished reading your post. Very informing. I have just recently collected some seeds. What time of the year to you suggest to start seeding?
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  15. Hi Anon,

    Sorry for the late reply, but you could sow them any time of year they ripen provided you give them plenty of soil and warmth.
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  16. I planted two dozen amaryllis seeds last year and kept them alive through their first winter. As soon as the weather warmed I placed them outside so that they would grow with normal sunlight. Is there anything special I need to do to them this coming winter?
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  17. Great blog!

    After watching a bulb given to me by my grandmother flower on and off for the past 5-6 years, on a whim I pollinated the flowers this year and got two healthy seed pods with about 70 seeds.

    I tried the floating method for germination, and they're all sprouting roots after about a week in the bowl! Thank you for the information!
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  18. mmmm.... my seeds aren't doing anything!!!!! what am I doing wrong??? Some are in water, others in the seeding kit from HD and other in a plastic container and nothing (since July) The seeds are definitely there, but they are not sprouting.... what should I try. I live in SoCal, so it has been super hot (90-100+). I have them in the garage right now, I had left themout in the sunlight for the 1st 2 weeks. It looks like some of the seeds (not the packing) got bulkier, but nothing! Thank you!
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  19. Erik, Sorry I didn't get around to replying to your comment, it got lost in my inbox. I hope your seedlings have done great.

    Cecilia, Did you check to see if they were viable? Is there a bump in the middle of the seed? Did they dry out by any chance? If they dried out that could be a reason for them not germinating.
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  20. They did have bumps, they did not dry out... The just don't seem to be working... I am going to re-try with another batch. PS. Just went to my local HD and picked up 3 different bulbs!!!! They are finally for sale again!
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  21. I went through them yesterday & it seems that the seed core (inside the black envelopes) on some had dissolved (or at least dissolved really easily when I rubbed my fingers on them).
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  22. Thanks!

    They're growing well, and have been outside since I put them in flats shortly after sprouting.

    Thanks again for the informative blog! It's really great to check in once in a while and see what new posts I can catch up on.
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  24. I got an amaryllis on which the seed pods are still rather green and soft, but they are splitting and the interior is brown. Should I go ahead and remove the stalk and pods to dry further, or just extract the seed pods now? Thanks, Steve Smith
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  25. Thanks for your information.
    may i know that:
    - you just let viable amaryllis floating on the water at any seed side ???
    - i have to change water weekly even water is stiil clear ????
    i live in south Vietnam and i am so sorry if may english is not well .
    Best regards,
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  26. Thank you so much for the wonderful information. I have many hippeastrum x johnsonii bulbs and have been wanting to learn about harvesting the pods for the seeds...your website has given me so much helpful information!
    Thanks,
    Sandra Holloway :)
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  27. I add just a drop of chlorox to my water when introducing my amaryllis bulb seeds to it for germinating the seeds, it keeps down the contamination (we live tropics). It takes about 2-3 weeks to germinate and then another week plus for transferring the seeds. I like making a community tray, keeping the seeds pretty close together for about a year or so. These bulbs are slow growing and take a few generous years before giving a nice flower stem. A nice treat, but time slow.
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