Can I Get My Waxed Amaryllis Bulb to Rebloom?

Question:

Can I Get My Waxed Amaryllis Bulb to Rebloom?

Answer:

While it is not recommended that you save waxed bulbs, you can potentially get them to rebloom with diligent care.  Once the last flower stalk has faded, leaves will begin to slowly emerge.  Carefully remove the wax from the outside of the bulb.  Take special care to not damage any of the small emerging roots at the base of the bulb.  Sometimes these small roots are embedded in the wax and can be easily broken off if the wax is not carefully removed. 

You may be surprised to see that the wax shell is now larger than the bulb inside. This is because stored carbohydrates in the bulb were used to produce flowers. With no water or soil available, the plant has a greatly reduced ability to replace those food reserves. This reduction in carbohydrates stored in the bulb causes it to shrink significantly in size.  This smaller bulb will require special care to recover and grow large enough again to produce a new flower stalk next year.

Once the wax is removed, inspect the bulb carefully for sunken, soft, or dark areas that indicate a disease problem.  Discard any bulb that shows signs of rot.  Pot up the bulb in the same way you would for a regular non-waxed bulb.  Use well-drained potting soil in a container 1 to 2 inches larger than the diameter of the bulb.  Position the bulb in the center and when finished the upper half of the bulb should be above the soil line.  Care for the bulb in the same way you would for a non-waxed bulb.  It is particularly important to provide adequate light and fertilization in the spring and summer months to promote growth and allow the plant to produce and store carbohydrates in the bulb.  After the bulb goes through dormancy in the fall, a new flower stalk should emerge and bloom.

It is not always possible to save waxed amaryllis bulbs and get them to rebloom.  Occasionally the bulb is so spent after flowering that it does not recover.  Sometimes the bulb grows healthy leaves but will not produce blooms the following year.  This is usually because the bulb has not built up enough carbohydrate reserves to flower.  Continue to grow and care for the bulb and flowers should emerge the following season.

Learn more in this article: All About Amaryllis.