Talk about flower power! If there's a brighter, more petal-packed, or outright scene-stealing Amaryllis around, I have yet to find it! These fully double blooms of blazing scarlet measure a whopping 8 inches across, so laden with color and long-lasting texture that you'd better plan for a winter-long display of riches!Red Peacock brought down the house at the renowned Breezand bulb show, walking away with the honors. Every stem of this vigorous bulb bears 4 stunning blooms, their color almost incandescent!
Like all our Amaryllis, Red Peacock can be grown at any time of year -- just pot it up 6 to 8 weeks before the date you want it to begin blooming! The flowers are very long-lasting -- several weeks is common, or up to a week if cut for the vase -- and trouble-free.
To get years of color from your Amaryllis keep about 1/3 to 2/3 of the bulb exposed above the soil, and water it in thoroughly. Unless the soil looks dry, you should not water it again until green shoots appear.
When the first growth appears, move the plant into a sunny spot and keep it very well-watered until it blooms. Once the blooms open, move it out of direct sunlight to prolong the life of the flowers.
After the blooms (finally) pass, trim their stems down to a few inches, place the pot back in a sunny spot, and keep watering and feeding it until the leaves turn yellow. (Most Amaryllis remain green for months, their deeply colored, strap-like foliage an attractive addition to the home or office.) When the foliage dies back, remove the plant from sun, stop watering, and keep the bulb potted up in a dry, cool place. Let it rest for at least 10 weeks before beginning the color show all over again!
If you do re-pot you bulb (which you probably should every 3 to 5 years), you may notice small bulbils growing along the edges of the main bulb. These may be left alone or potted separately and grown as new plants (though they will take several years to reach mature size, of course).
If you live in a tropical climate (zones 9-10), Amaryllis will grow like Topsy in your garden. Plant the bulbs about 8 inches deep, spacing 6 to 8 inches between plants. Fertilize the soil about 3 weeks after planting. Blooms appear in mid- to late winter.
