From our perspective as a bulb, the initial transition from dormancy into a water-based environment is a period of intense physiological recalibration. Our root primordia, pre-formed within the bulb, are triggered to emerge by the consistent presence of moisture and warmth. Unlike soil, which offers physical resistance and requires energy to push through, water provides minimal resistance. This allows our new, white, fleshy roots to extend rapidly and freely into the clear liquid space. These roots are specialized for water uptake; they develop a highly absorptive surface area to efficiently take in dissolved oxygen and the essential nutrients that you, the gardener, must provide. The clear vase is beneficial as it allows you to monitor our root health, ensuring they remain firm and white, not brown or slimy.
The single most crucial factor for our survival in water is the balance between hydration and oxygenation. We amaryllis plants are not aquatic; we cannot survive with our entire bulb submerged. If the water level is too high, enveloping the body of the bulb, the scales will begin to rot due to suffocation. Our plant cells require oxygen for respiration to generate the energy needed for growth. Therefore, the water level must be meticulously maintained to only just contact the very base of the bulb where the root plate is located. This allows our roots to drink while the bulk of the bulb remains dry and aerated above the waterline, preventing fungal and bacterial pathogens from attacking and causing fatal rot.
In a natural soil environment, our roots would forage for a complex array of macro and micronutrients. In pure water, this entire nutritional ecosystem is absent. For the initial phase of root development and the first push of the flower stalk, we can rely solely on the immense energy reserves stored within our bulb. This stored starch is the fuel for the spectacular floral display. However, to sustain growth beyond flowering—specifically, to produce and strengthen leaves for photosynthesis—we become entirely dependent on you. A diluted, balanced hydroponic fertilizer must be added to the water once the roots are several inches long. Without these supplemental nutrients, we will exhaust our reserves and be unable to regenerate for future seasons.
Once our flower stalk senesces, our long, strap-like leaves emerge and become the primary engine of our existence. These leaves are designed to capture maximum light. It is absolutely imperative that we are placed in a location with bright, indirect light. Here, we perform photosynthesis, converting light energy, carbon dioxide from the air, and water into sugars. These sugars are the new energy we produce to replenish the depleted bulb. This process is even more critical in a water culture because we start from a place of greater energy expenditure (flowering) without the buffer of soil nutrients. The success of this photosynthetic period directly determines whether our bulb will store enough energy to enter dormancy and re-bloom again, or whether it will be depleted beyond recovery.
