Ask Ella: Staking Your Amaryllis
We love amaryllis, because it’s a flower with so many secrets. There are many ways to extend the life of this beautiful flower that no one outside of the amaryllis-obsessed seem to talk about openly. For example: Did you know that inserting a bamboo rod into the stem will keep amaryllis flowers from drooping? We love this tip, and we’ve got a few others. Here’s some quick advice from our resident gardening expert, Ella, on how to keep your Amaryllis looking fresh:
What You Need
- bamboo sticks
- paper towels
- cotton balls
- gardening shears
GC Tips
I always buy my amaryllis with the flower buds closed. First of all, they are beautiful like this, but watching them open is a magical experience and the younger they are when you buy them, the longer they will bloom.
A trick that I use to keep the stalks from flopping over as the flowers age is to cut the stems and insert a bamboo stick of equal length into the shaft of your stem. This will maintain the plant’s height and strength.
At the bottom of the stalk (–amaryllis stems are kind of like hollow straws) we like to insert a cotton ball or a rolled up piece of paper towel to absorb excess water– this will keep the stem from rotting.
Make sure to change the water every day, and try to keep the room at a moderate temperature (avoid extreme heat or cold) to prolong the blooms. If you do it right, your amaryllis will stay looking gorgeous for as long as 10 days!
