[robarco]

As per title really just wondering. My Hippies die down for a month or so around the coldest part of the year, perhaps mid-Jan to mid-Feb, variable, and then flower perhaps March, putting out leaves shortly afterwards. Just bought some new bulbs, and they are forced, because one week into planting and they are putting up flowering spikes. So just wondered, will they skip a year and re-bloom March 2018, or is there any chance of that happening March 2017? I always try to keep them going for as long as they are happy to, and with daytime minimums very rarely below 12C, (54F) normally more like 15C (59F) average it's not difficult, and as previous they are dormant for barely a month.

[JTh]

I'm curious (I have no experience with Hippeastrum in the Mediterranean), but is it not possible that these forced bulbs may re-bloom in the autumn 2017?

[Umbrian]

I was given a Hippeastrum bulb last autumn that produced one flowering stem in the late spring. I left it outside in its pot this summer, on a small table in full sun receiving only rainfall as water (I should add that we have had an unusually wet summer) I was amazed to find it in bloom again last week, this time with flowers more magnificent than the first ones. I shall watch with interest to see what happens next.

[JTh]

This is exactly my experience from Norway with forced Hippeastrum bulbs as well, Carol. Well, not with all of them, but those that survive the summer in the garden without being eaten by slugs. The bulbs are placed in the basement before the frost in the autumn; when I see the new buds, the plants are moved upstairs to the window sill.

[robarco]

Back, was away, rather too busy and forgot all about my post here - apologies to all who gracefully responded. So it's still a mystery... well come March 2017 this may be solved as I planted 5 new bulbs, and that should be enough to reflect "typical" behaviour. Fingers crossed as March seems so distant - having to wait till 2018 would be tough!

[MikeHardman]

Well, I'm still learning about Hippeastrum as grown in the Med...

I've had one a few years, and I keep it outside most of the year.
After its usual spring flowering (2016), it remained green and continued to produce leaves, quite possibly because I did not withhold watering. And in July, it flowered again, just as well as in the spring.
Here's a photo of it starting to flower (it produced more) on 03jul16

Mike