Waxed amaryllis bulbs are popular around the holidays, and it’s very fun to watch them bloom without any water or potting soil.
In this detailed guide I will teach you everything you need to know about how they work, how to care for them, what to do after they flower, and much more.
I’ll also answer some of your most common questions to make sure you get the best results and so that you can keep your waxed amaryllis to grow again, season after season.
What Is A Waxed Amaryllis?
A waxed amaryllis is a dormant bulb that is coated in a decorative protective wax and commonly sold as a gift around Christmas time. They’re completely self-sustaining and contain everything that the plant needs to grow and bloom.
The bulbs come fully hydrated, so you don’t have to add any water, which is why they’re sometimes called “waterless amaryllis”. They also have enough energy built up, so they don’t need any type of potting soil, they’ll grow right out of the wax.
The big draw is that they will produce gorgeous flowers with almost no effort. Depending on the type, they’ll usually get between 2-3 stalks, each of which has up to 4 blossoms.
Why Are The Bulbs Waxed?
The wax coating works to seal in the moisture so the amaryllis bulb won’t dry out, and it also creates a beautiful and festive container for them.
This way anyone can enjoy them as a living decoration or nice centerpiece during the holidays. No green thumb necessary!
Related Post: Dormant Amaryllis Care, Timing, Preparation, and How To Revive It
The Blooming Process
It doesn’t usually take very long for a waxed amaryllis to bloom. The flowers should open in about 3-6 weeks, but sometimes they’re faster or slower. The more light and warmth you give them, the faster they will grow.
Once open, the blossoms can last for up to 4 weeks. Usually one stalk will flower at a time, and then begin to fade as the next one develops. When they’re done, you can cut the stem down to about 1 inch above the bulb to help encourage the new stalks to open faster.
Related Post: How To Get Your Amaryllis To Rebloom Step By Step
How To Care For A Waxed Amaryllis
Caring for these bulbs couldn’t be easier. They don’t need any water, but they do need plenty of bright light and warmth to grow and bloom to their full potential. Follow my tips below for the best success.
Water
There’s no need to water a waxed amaryllis. The bulbs contain all the moisture they need, and the coating prevents them from drying out.
In fact you shouldn’t try to water them or the excess moisture could end up rotting the bulb or causing it to mold.
Related Post: How To Grow Amaryllis In Water
Light
Light is one of the few requirements you’ll need to worry about for your waxed amaryllis bulbs. They prefer bright indirect light rather than direct sun. If they don’t receive enough, the stalks can get very tall and leggy as they reach for the nearest window.
If your home doesn’t get much sun, use a grow light to supplement. If you want to display the bulbs as part of your holiday decor, they’ll be fine in a dark location for several hours. Just move them back to the light during the day.
Temperature
Your bulb also needs a warm location to grow. Ideally you should place it in a spot where the temperature stays between 65-75° F.
If it’s too cold it will take much longer to flower, but if it’s too hot the wax could start to melt. If the room is cool, try running a space heater to warm it up.
My Waxed Amaryllis Bulb Is Not Growing
If your waxed amaryllis is not growing, it’s usually caused by lack of light or cold temperatures. But yours might just be slow.
They can take between 4-6 weeks on average to sprout, but sometimes it’s longer. So give it at least 6 weeks before you begin to worry.
To speed up the process, make sure it’s in a warm and bright setting. Add a grow light if necessary, and keep the temperature between 65-75° F.
What To Do With Amaryllis In Wax After It Blooms
You can save your waxed amaryllis after it’s done flowering, and even get it to bloom again year after year. Simply remove the wax covering and pot the bulb up into regular soil so it can root.
Trim off the stems, but don’t remove any of the leaves, and continue giving your plant plenty of light. Here are the specific aftercare steps to take.
How To Plant Waxed Amaryllis Bulbs
If you want to try planting your bulb to keep it for the long term, wait until it’s done flowering. Then remove the wax and plant it in a container that’s slightly larger than the bulb using quality potting soil, or outside in your garden if it’s warm enough.
If it’s cold where you live, keep it indoors during the winter and care for it as you would a regular amaryllis plant. Once all chance of frost is gone, you can move it outside for the summer.
How To Remove The Wax
Removing the wax layer from amaryllis bulbs is usually pretty simple. But sometimes it can be challenging, so below are my tips.
- The bulb will usually shrink a bit, making the wax looser and easier to peel off. So usually you can just gently squeeze it, which will cause the wax to crack, and then peel it off.
- If it doesn’t break easily, carefully use a sharp knife to cut the wax. Avoid nicking the bulb, and make sure to go slowly.
- Sometimes there will be a plastic liner underneath the coating or a metal stand on the bottom of the bulb. Always make sure to remove both of those before replanting it.
Related Post: How To Store Amaryllis Bulbs For The Winter
FAQs
Yes you can save and reuse your waxed amaryllis for many years, and it’s easy. Simply remove the wax, pot up the bulb, put your plant in a sunny window, and keep the soil on the dry side.
It takes about 3-6 weeks for the bulb to flower, on average. To make it bloom faster, give it plenty of bright light and warmth.
Yes, you can replant it. Just remove the wax, then either put your amaryllis bulb in a pot indoors, or plant it outside in the garden.
If you leave it in wax, your amaryllis bulb will only last for a few months. The flowers will start to fade after 3-4 weeks, but the bulb can live for many years if you remove the coating and care for the plant properly.
If you want to learn all there is to know about maintaining healthy indoor plants, then you need my Houseplant Care eBook. It will show you everything you need to know about how to keep every plant in your home thriving. Download your copy now!
More Holiday Plant Care Guides
- How To Care For Poinsettia Plants
- How To Care For A Christmas Cactus
- How To Take Care Of A Cyclamen Plant
- How To Care For A Thanksgiving Cactus
- How To Care For An Easter Cactus
- How To Care For Holiday Cactus
More About Houseplant Care
- How To Mount A Staghorn Fern (Platycerium) Step By Step
- Winter Houseplant Care Guide
- Christmas, Thanksgiving, & Easter Cactus: How To Tell Them Apart
Share your tips about caring for waxed amaryllis in the comments section below.
Barbara Kibler McCleskey says
My windows don’t have direct sunlight. Help! I live in Alabama, and bring them in on chilly nights. But my back porch is the only place that there is enough light. Morning sun is what I have 😥.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Give your waxed amaryllis as much light as you can. If it’s too dark, it will get leggy and start reaching for the window, so really all you can do is use a grow light if you home is too dark. They don’t mind being moved around, so you could put it on your sunny porch if it’s warm enough, then bring it back inside at night.
Kim says
I just sent my daughter a waxed bulb. Does she need to open the box now, or can it wait and be a surprise on Christmas?? Thank you.
Amy Andrychowicz says
As long as it’s in a dark box, the waxed amaryllis should be fine until Christmas. However, she should definitely keep it away any heat sources (fireplace, sun, heat vent, etc) and make sure it stays inside so it doesn’t freeze. But if you tell her to open it now, she might get to enjoy the blooms in time for the holidays. 🙂
Jonathan says
Where do you get the wire base used to hold the bulb? I can’t find them anywhere online.
Amy Andrychowicz says
My waxed amaryllis bulbs have always come with the wire base already in the bottom.
Rich says
Mine didn’t have a wire base or metal plate, When I removed the wax I found a plastic liner that, together with the wax, gave them a flat base to sit on.
maria murphy says
Do you have to remove the wax after blooming? My plants are still encased in wax and producing leaves. Thank you in advance>
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, you will need to remove the wax from your amaryllis bulb if you want to keep it. Otherwise it will eventually become dehydrated, dry out, and die.
Norma says
I have a waterless amaryllis and it is April it has a Hugh amount of roots out of the bottom what should I do
Amy Andrychowicz says
You can peel the wax off your waterless amaryllis and plant it in a pot with general purpose soil, as I describe in the article.
Desiree says
Can I replant in Miracle gro potting mix?
Amy Andrychowicz says
I’m personally not a fan of that specific brand. But yes, you can use any type of general purpose potting soil for your amaryllis, just make sure it’s a high-quality and fast-draining mix.
Antoinette de Klerk says
Hi Amy – thank you for writing this informative piece !
Questions:
– You say I can remove the stem but not the leaves. Is the stem the part that holds the flowers ? That I see, but I see no leaves ?
– After potting, can the A. stay in that pot, or does it need repotting after awhile ?
– How often does one water potted A. ?
– Does the potted A. need fertilizing ?
With regards etc. AdK.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, the stem is the part that holds the flower. Wait until it has turned yellow and started to die back before removing it. Here are a few articles that will answer all of your questions, and give you tons of tips for success 🙂 …
How To Care For An Amaryllis Plant
What To Do With An Amaryllis After It Blooms
How To Get Your Amaryllis To Rebloom
Darleen says
Are waxed amaryllis poisonous to human or animal?
Amy Andrychowicz says
All types of amaryllis, waxed or not, are toxic if ingested.
Marie M Koerner says
My waxed bulbs arrived a lot earlier than expected. Can I delay blooming by keeping them in a cool dark place? How long can I keep them that way?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, if you keep your waxed amaryllis bulbs in a cool, dry, and dark location you can delay their blooming. It’s hard to say how long it will delay them, it really depends on the care they received and environment they were in before you got them. Just keep an eye on them and put them into light once they start growing.
Donna Ross says
After I take the wax’s off my waxed amaryllis do you water it good before planting
Amy Andrychowicz says
No need to water your waxed amaryllis bulb before planting it into soil. Just moisten the soil either before or after planting it.
Kathy barris says
My waxed amaryllis is blooming again. On top where the old flowers were have little green bulbs. Do they have seeds in them? Im afraid to do anything . Have never had these waterless ones before
Amy Andrychowicz says
If the flowers were pollinated then yes, those little green bulbs could have seeds in them. It’s really your choice if you want to leave them on to see if they will produce viable seeds or not. However, keep in mind that producing seeds takes a lot of energy from the bulb, so if you leave them on, your amaryllis may not be able to build up enough energy to flower again next year (or it may bloom, but not as prolifically). The seeds would be fun to experiment with though, so it’s totally up to you what you want to do.
Kelly says
How often do they bloom after you pot the bulb?
Amy Andrychowicz says
As long as you follow the proper steps, your waxed amaryllis can flower every year. Here are the steps to get them to rebloom.
Nancy says
I have a waterless amaryllis mounted on birch .How do I care for it after the flowers are finished blooming?
Amy Andrychowicz says
The care would be the same regardless of where your waterless amaryllis is located, even yours that’s mounted. Once it’s done flowering, just remove it from the birch, peel off the wax and pot it up.
Deb Rottum says
I have a root that has broken through the bottom of the waxed bulb. Any advice?
Amy Andrychowicz says
That can happen and it’s nothing to worry about. You can just leave it alone. Otherwise, if it’s causing your waxed amaryllis to fall over, then you can snip just it off.
Carla says
My waxed amaryllis bulbs are leaking brown fluid …I think they may have frozen in transit with these frigid temperatures. I wanted to give as gifts but am afraid they are rotting. I never had one leak like this. Thoughts?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh no, it sure sounds like your waxed amaryllis bulb might be rotting. I know you wanted to give it as a gift, but it’s probably best to remove the wax and inspect the bulb. Sometimes it will only be molding or only has a small start of rot and you can still save it by peeling off the rotting/molding outer layer and potting it up. If it’s in good shape, you could still give it as a gift.
Jan wright says
I truly enjoyed my waterless plant and will try to keep it growing.. This was my first purchase. My plant number is AMA-696691021.what an experience to watch it bloom so soon after purchase.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, aren’t they fun? Glad to hear yours was a success!