Spring Garden White Amaryllis

I live in Central Florida, growing zone 9B which is semi-tropical. Amaryllis is a subtropical bulb that belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family and is native to South Africa. It is grown as a potted plant in most parts of the United States but can also be grown outdoors year round in warm areas like Florida. The red amaryllis you buy at Christmas are FORCED bulbs.

Spring in central Florida (which is semi-tropical) doesn’t mean spring daffodils in the yard. We don’t have the cold weather for northern bulbs to grow here. Right now the flower section at Publix is filled with tulips , daffodils, and other spring flowers but none of those grow here. Spring flowers for me mean amaryllis. I know you think it’s a Christmas flower, but it’s not. It’s a subtropical bulb that flowers in the spring in semi-tropical environments. IT CANNOT SURVIVE COLD TEMPERATURES UP NORTH, unless you keep it in the house in the winter.

In the past, my traditional red amaryllis would bloom first and then the white one. That’s not what happened this year. Last week the red plants were getting buds but the white plant had a large white flower and lots of buds opening already.

My white amaryllis are right by my rosemary bush.

Last week I had lots of amaryllis flowers.

I’m wishing you a beautiful day wherever you live.

Thanks for the visit. Get exclusive free printables & all the news straight to your mailbox!

Subscribe

* indicates required

Please see my Link Parties page for the parties where this post was shared.

Carol

I was raised in Tennessee but have lived in Florida for many years. Love my small home in the Tampa Bay area and its developing garden. My decorating style is eclectic - some vintage, some cottage, all with a modern flair. Pursuing a healthier lifestyle. Spent many years in social services but am happily retired.

26 thoughts to “Spring Garden White Amaryllis”

  1. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a white amaryllis before and I think I like it far more than the red. It shouldn’t be long before our daffs come up. I gave up on tulips. The neighborhood Bambi team likes them too much! Market ones will have to do!

  2. I love Amaryllys. We had a red one that bloomed for many years here in West Texas. It had been transplanted from my mother-in-law’s home in Houston. But a couple years ago we had an unusually cold snap and it must have killed it because it has not come back the last two years.

  3. What a beautiful flower to bloom at Easter time! We still have some snow on the ground here. Have a very Happy Easter.

  4. Neither amaryllis nor rosemary can overwinter where I live. As you pointed out, amaryllis is more a Christmas flower for us (and forced, as you also point out). I’ve never purchased a white one. So pretty! Alana ramblinwitham

    1. Most amaryllis are forced bulbs grown at home in the house. That’s what you see at Christmas. Late summer early fall amaryllis bulbs are sold in large home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes – I don’t know if they are in your area. The bulbs are forced and ready to put in the pot they come with and water. Before Christmas you should have a blooming amaryllis. I’d repot it in a bigger pot after the holidays. Like daffodils and tulips, they finish blooming and go semi-dormant. Some lose near all their leaves while others still have a few. It’s important to let the limp green leaves alone. They are feeding the bulb. The next year it will probably be late winter or spring before they grow buds and bloom.

  5. You gardeners are magicians. My wife is a magician. I work with a wilderness organization and I volunteer to water the butterfly garden. The lady in charge of the garden appreciates what i do but gets frustrated when I can’t tell snakeweed from snickum.

  6. Beautiful, beautiful!! My grandmother used to have amaryllis that she’d keep in a large pot and put out in her garden here in CT for the spring and summer once it was nice and warm.

I love to make new friends and get to know you.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.