Growing amaryllis from seeds is a very rewarding, if somewhat long, process. Amaryllis hybridizes easily, which means you can develop your own new variety right at home. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it takes years, sometimes as many as five, to go from seed to blossoming plant. If you have some patience, however, you can produce and germinate your own amaryllis seed pods. Keep reading to learn more about amaryllis seed propagation and how to plant an amaryllis seed.
Amaryllis Seed Propagation
If your amaryllis plants are growing outside, they may be naturally pollinated. If you’re growing yours inside, however, or you just don’t want to leave things to chance, you can pollinate them yourself with a small paintbrush. Gently collect the pollen from the stamen of one flower and brush it onto the pistil of another. Amaryllis plants can self-pollinate, but you’ll have better results and more interesting cross-breeding if you use two different plants.
As the flower fades, the little green nub at its base should swell into a seed pod. Let the pod turn yellow and brown and crack open, then pick it. Inside should be a collection of black, wrinkly seeds.
Can You Grow Amaryllis Seeds?
Growing amaryllis from seeds is absolutely possible, though time-consuming. Plant your seeds as soon as possible in well-draining soil or vermiculite under a very thin layer of soil or perlite. Water the seeds and keep them moist in partial shade until they sprout. Not all the seeds are likely to sprout, so don’t get discouraged.
After germination, growing amaryllis from seeds is not difficult. Allow the sprouts to grow for a few weeks (they should look like grass) before transplanting them into larger individual pots.
Feed them with an all-purpose fertilizer. Keep the plants in direct sun and treat them like any other amaryllis. In a few years’ time, you’ll be richly rewarded with a variety of blossoms that may never have been seen before.
Growing amaryllis from seeds is a very rewarding, if somewhat long, process. Amaryllis hybridizes easily, which means you can develop your own new variety right at home. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it takes years, sometimes as many as five, to go from seed to blossoming plant. If you have some patience, however, you can produce and germinate your own amaryllis seed pods. Keep reading to learn more about amaryllis seed propagation and how to plant an amaryllis seed.
Amaryllis Seed Propagation
If your amaryllis plants are growing outside, they may be naturally pollinated. If you’re growing yours inside, however, or you just don’t want to leave things to chance, you can pollinate them yourself with a small paintbrush. Gently collect the pollen from the stamen of one flower and brush it onto the pistil of another. Amaryllis plants can self-pollinate, but you’ll have better results and more interesting cross-breeding if you use two different plants.
As the flower fades, the little green nub at its base should swell into a seed pod. Let the pod turn yellow and brown and crack open, then pick it. Inside should be a collection of black, wrinkly seeds.
Can You Grow Amaryllis Seeds?
Growing amaryllis from seeds is absolutely possible, though time-consuming. Plant your seeds as soon as possible in well-draining soil or vermiculite under a very thin layer of soil or perlite. Water the seeds and keep them moist in partial shade until they sprout. Not all the seeds are likely to sprout, so don’t get discouraged.
After germination, growing amaryllis from seeds is not difficult. Allow the sprouts to grow for a few weeks (they should look like grass) before transplanting them into larger individual pots.
Feed them with an all-purpose fertilizer. Keep the plants in direct sun and treat them like any other amaryllis. In a few years’ time, you’ll be richly rewarded with a variety of blossoms that may never have been seen before.