How to Plant Naked Ladies (Amaryllis belladonna)

Plant naked lady bulbs in late summer or fall with the top of the bulb at or just above the soil, 6–12 inches apart, in full sun. Leaves grow in winter and spring, and pink flowers rise on bare stems in late summer.

How to Plant Naked Ladies (Amaryllis belladonna)
When to plant
Late summer or fall, as soon as your bulbs arrive
Depth
Top of the bulb at or just above the soil surface
Spacing
6–12 inches apart
Sun
Full sun; bulbs in shade flower far less
Water
Water while the leaves are growing in winter and spring; no summer water once they die back
Soil
Well-drained loam or sandy soil

Step by step

  1. Choose the spot carefully. Bulbs that get moved often skip flowering for a year or two, so pick a sunny place where they can stay for years.
  2. Make sure water never stands there, especially in summer.
  3. Dig a hole just deep enough that the top of the bulb sits at or slightly above the soil surface.
  4. Space bulbs 6–12 inches apart.
  5. Water once to settle the soil.
  6. In zone 8, spread mulch over the bed for winter.
  7. Colder than zone 8, plant in a deep pot instead and keep it somewhere bright and frost-free over winter, since the leaves grow through winter and spring.

After bloom

Cut the flower stalk once the flowers fade. Leaves follow and stay through spring; let them yellow and die back on their own, usually by early summer. Then keep the bed dry until the flower stalks appear. Leave clumps alone as long as they bloom. If you must divide or move them, do it right after flowering, as the new leaves start to show.