Planting A NEW Papilio Bulb

12 years ago

OK. I never got any reply on how to how to repot my old established pot full of papilios, that I would like to repot.

So I have bought 1 new bulb, it arrived today. It is a dormant bulb, ready to sprout and grow. I dont know if it is 'forced', and I will get a bloom stalk in a few weeks or not. But it is nice and big, and has the tops of 2 leaves just starting to show.

But I want to plant it on its own, to start a new pot full of papilios. But I dont know how deep to plant it. It has been so long since I planted my last ones, it has pushed up all the 'mother bulbs' that bloomed last month,I dont recall how far down they should be planted, especially here in the south, where it will be growing all year.

the bulb is about 6in around, and it is 5in from the top, where the leaves are sprouting out, to the roots.

So...how much of this bulb should go underground in a pot. And how much should be above ground? IF I luck out and get a bloom stalk, great, if I have to wait till winter,so be it. But I am planting it on its own. I have seen areas where bulblets have been removed, and there is one left, so I might be getting a new baby bulb in a few months.

So,can anyone tell me how deep to plant it? All my others have pushed themselves up out of the soil from the bulblets growing and lifting them up, so now about 3/4 of the bulbs show. But this bulb is definately not freshly dug. It is either a forced bulb, and hopefully will get a bloom stalk, or it has been in storage for a short time, it is very firm, no rot, nice and big, it looks to be in great shape.

So....planting tips, would be greatly appreciated. AND if anyone can tell me, what about my other full pot of papilio bulbs? Can I repot them now, and lower them into the soil...how much? plant them up as is, or pull off the bulblets, which are pretty big, not tiny, and make a new pot of Papilios. Cant have to many...right?! The 10in pot is almost totally rootbound now. So I think they should be potted up,and lower the bulbs into the soil. OR remove the bulblets, that are pretty big,put them into their own pot, and then lower the big mother bulbs back into the 10in pot?

Do I apply anything to the area where i pull off the bulblets from the mother bulbs, before repotting? Or just repot them as they are, and make it a huge bulbpan full of Papilios?

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Comments (4)

radarcontactlost
12 years ago
Others may have a more elaborate response but I like simplicity. Your pot full of papilios just pull them out and snap off or cut with a clean knife any bullets that are of a decent size and have roots starting. Repot the bulblets and mother bulb in fresh mix. I like to expose my bulbs a little in pots. In the ground I plant them right up to the neck covering the shoulders by a little soil. Hope this helps. Hippeastrum seem to be pretty forgiving about disturbing their roots and bounce back fast. Good luck.
dondeldux z6b South Shore Massachusetts
12 years ago
Hi Aveo,

I have 4 pots of h. papilio and the mother bulb in each pot is the usually 1/2 to 2/3 out of the soil..when first planted..of course the bulblets are all way under. I have yet to repot my clumps, but when they were singles..as they all were once, I just treated them as all my other bulbs..2/3 out of the soil. I think when the time comes to repot, I may be tempted to (at least the first time) just move the whole clump to a larger pot. I know eventually, they will need to be separated, but as they grow outside all clumped together I will put off separating them for as long as I can..not a job for the timid such as myself.

I've only got my first two papilio bulbs last year, and now there are at least 5 bulblets in the first pot and 4 in the second. They sure are prolific multipliers!!

Of course, if I see that the mother bulb is being dragged down by the kids then I guess I will have to pull them apart..but until then, they will remain a family unit..

I don't suppose I've actually helped you, but I really loved mine when they bloomed..

A few years ago I had a clump of Orange Sovereign that I finally had to separate..they were already in a large pot and since I use clay, I just couldn't handle a larger pot..there must have been at least 6 or 7 good sized bulbs in one pot. All the bulbs were fine, including the mother who had been heaved out of the soil..I gave most of them away and kept 3 of them and they grow on and on. Of course Orange Sovereign is not as special as h. papilio, but the process is the same...

Donna
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aveo5
Original Author
12 years ago
Well I guess it is best to put the NEW big bulb, and the mother bulbs 1/2 to 2/3's of the way out of the soil? The new one that has a tiny bulb-let 'bulge' starting to grow, will eventually make its way to the soil top, on its own. The big pot I have with 2 'mother bulbs' that have been pushed up and out of the soil, by all the bulblets, I guess I can unpot them, and take off the bulblets, and put the mother bulbs back in the same pot, and replant them at the same depth. They are about 2/3's of the way out of the soil.

In the ground here in south Fla. there use to be a native red amaryllis that was buried up to their necks. And they bloomed in Jan/Feb. Then they would grow all year, then loose their leaves for a few months, then pop up in Jan. and be in bloom for spring. That was kind of the way we knew 'spring' was happening here in Ft.Laud. Its a shame it is all but gone now. It use to be in nearly everyone's yard, now I am lucky to see 2-3 clumps of them.

BUT the Papilio is always in pots. I wouldn't let it in the soil here...it is nearly 100% sand. At the price of the bulbs, and as good as they do in pots, I like to keep them in pots. The mother bulbs are not 'dragged down' by the bulblets, they are pushed UP by them. Thats why I have to repot them, it is so full of new bulbs, it is almost potbound. The bulblets are nearly as big as the mother bulbs now. I am hoping that they will bloom if I get them in a separate pot, and give them some room.
houstonpat
12 years ago
Have fun aveo5. I have found papilios require sharp drainage. They are suseptable to nematodes which may kill them. That's why I grow mine in deep clay pots, in hanging moss baskets or mounted like a staghorn on sphagnum boards. In So. FL they will benefit from afternoon shade or dappeled high shade. This species tends to push themselves out of the soil or moss exposing the entire bulb. Though, large offsets constrained by pot size will survive totally underground. This species will produce significantly shortened scapes when exposed to weather below 40F.