Scarlet Picotee Amaryllis Bulbs, Single Blooms Edged in White, Multi-Flowering Hippeastrum for Winter Forcing, Perennial Bulbs for Cut Flowers and Pots

1. Single Form, Speckled White Edge, Several Flowers at Once

A single amaryllis is a different proposition from a double: six broad petals, an open face, and the full set of stamens on show. Here the scarlet ground is edged and lightly speckled in white, so each flower has a fine picotee line rather than a solid band. A single scape can carry five or six flowers opening close together, which gives a much fuller head than most doubles and makes this the best of the collection for cutting.

2. Planting for Cut Flowers as Well as Display

Plant shallow in a pot three to five centimetres wider than the bulb, in a gritty free-draining mix. If the flowers are destined for a vase, plant two bulbs a fortnight apart so the stems ripen in succession. Cut when the first flower on the scape is fully open and the second is colouring — stems taken at that stage last a week to ten days in water, and the remaining buds continue to open indoors.

3. Light, Water and Keeping Stems Straight

Full winter sun from the moment growth appears; the single form is lighter than a double, but a shaded stem still stretches and flops. Water when the top of the compost dries and feed every two weeks while leaves and flowers are active. Because several flowers open at once, the head is wide rather than heavy, so staking is rarely needed — turn the pot a quarter turn every few days instead, to keep it growing evenly.

4. Leaves, Rest Period and Repeat Flowering

Remove spent heads, keep the stem until it browns, and leave the foliage alone. Broad arching leaves follow the flowers and remain presentable for months, feeding the bulb for the next cycle. Let the plant dry down in late summer and rest the bulb for two to three months, then resume watering. Single varieties are the most reliable amaryllis to bring back into flower year after year, which is why they are still the ones grown commercially for cut stems.

5. Checked Bulbs, Live Roots, Honest Grading

Bulbs are lifted, cleaned and graded by circumference, then checked for firmness, intact basal plates and clean necks. They ship dormant with live roots attached, in breathable wrap. Larger bulbs carry more flower buds and often throw a second scape, so grade matters more with this variety than with a double.