Amaryllis/Hippeastrum Seeds.

[Ross]

Hi Everyone,

Last year I bought two amaryllis/hippeastrum bulbs, one pink, the other was red in the centre and white on the outer edge. I hand pollinated these flowers and collected the seeds. I recently planted them and have been rewarded with several seedlings! Now I am wondering how to take care of them, and maybe even get my own variety! Also, they're currently in a small pot (in comparison with the original bulb I bought). I am wondering how long it will take, what sort of fertiliser to use, whether to move them to a slightly larger pot, and if so when to move them? Thanks! Tried to include a picture but the quality was too high and the upload took hours, then failed! Oh well.

[zxcvbob]

I've done the same thing before. It took about 4 years for them to bloom, and they looked *exactly* like one of the parents (the "mother"), so it may have self-pollinated when I wasn't looking.

Amaryllis like to be somewhat pot-bound. I don't think I gave them any special care, just time. (the season is so short here is why I think it took 4 years instead of 3)

Bob

[David E. Ross]

Keep them growing year round. In their native environment, they are evergreen.

Keep the soil moist but not wet. Feed lightly when there are three leaves. Do not repot until there is a definite bulb; even then, don't use a large pot. (Bob is very correct. They bloom best when pot-bound.)

If it indeed is different from its parents, you get to name the new variety. In that case, you might want to contact the International Bulb Society at . In the U.S., I don't think you can patent new plant varieties that are propagated from bulbs. I don't know about the U.K.

See my .