Deep Crimson Amaryllis Bulbs, Double Velvet Blooms with a Black-Red Eye, Hippeastrum for Winter Forcing Indoors, Perennial Bulbs for Christmas Displays and Patio Pots

1. Velvet Crimson with a Black-Red Eye

Deep, blue-based crimson rather than scarlet, with a darker eye at the centre that makes the flower read almost black in low light. The petals are fully double, broad and slightly reflexed, with a velvety surface that absorbs rather than reflects light. Heads reach 16–19 cm and carry four to six blooms, opening over roughly three weeks — long enough to take a plant through the whole holiday period.

2. Planting and the Question of Support

Set the bulb with its shoulder above the compost in a pot only slightly wider than itself, in a free-draining mix. Heavy doubles on a tall scape do sometimes need help: plant deep enough that the roots grip, and have a slim cane ready rather than waiting until the head has already leaned. Keep the pot at 20–22°C until growth starts, then give it the sunniest windowsill in the house.

3. Water, Feed and Avoiding Red Blotch

Water at the surface and let it drain freely; standing water in the saucer is the usual route to a soft basal plate. Water the compost, never the bulb itself, and keep the neck dry. Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser every fortnight from bud stage, switching to a potassium-heavy feed once flowering ends. Good airflow around the pot matters more than most growers expect, especially in a warm room.

4. After Flowering: Leaves, Rest and Rebloom

Cut the spent head, keep the stem until it yellows, and leave every leaf. The plant then produces a clump of broad, dark green strap leaves that stays tidy for months and is doing the work of rebuilding the bulb. In late summer, stop watering and let the foliage die back naturally, then keep the bulb dry and cool for eight to ten weeks. Restarting water after that rest is what triggers the next scape.

5. Bulbs Selected for Flower Count

Bulbs are graded by size and inspected individually for firmness, clean necks and the absence of red blotch or soft rot. Large bulbs of this grade carry more than one flower bud, which is why a single bulb can send up a second scape after the first finishes. Roots stay attached and the bulbs travel in ventilated wrap, not sealed plastic.