Amaryllis Colours Explained: 15 Varieties and How to Choose

Most shops sell one amaryllis: a red one. That is a shame, because the family runs from near-black burgundy to translucent green-white, and the doubles look nothing like the singles.

The classic reds

Red is the colour people picture when they hear “amaryllis”, and it is still the safest choice for a December windowsill. Amaryllis ‘Red’ has clean scarlet petals with a pale green throat. If you want something deeper, Deep Red is a velvet crimson that reads almost black in low light.

The striped varieties

Striped amaryllis are the ones that look hand-painted. Red & White Striped has white petals feathered with red, and no two flowers are identical. Cream & Red Striped is the softer version, with fine red veining over cream.

The pale end of the range

White and cream amaryllis read as elegant rather than festive, and they photograph beautifully. White is pure white with a green eye; Cream is warmer, with a blush at the petal tips. Green & White is the rarest of the three — pale petals washed with green.

Pinks and peaches

Pink amaryllis are the most versatile: they suit a hallway or a kitchen where red feels too strong. Pink opens wide and holds its shape; Light Pink is a blush that fades to near-white at the edges; Peach adds a warm apricot glow.

Doubles

Double amaryllis have layer after layer of petals instead of a single trumpet. They are heavier, so they sometimes need a cane, but they last longer in flower. Pink & White and Burgundy are the two most striking.

Unusual colours

Orange is genuinely tangerine, not red-orange. Yellow is the hardest to find and flowers fully double in most bulbs. And Multi-colour is a mixed pack — every bulb can throw a different shade, which is the cheapest way to build a collection.

Every colour we carry

• Amaryllis ‘Red’
• Amaryllis ‘Deep Red’
• Amaryllis ‘Red & White Striped’
• Amaryllis ‘Pink’
• Amaryllis ‘Light Pink’
• Amaryllis ‘Pink & White’
• Amaryllis ‘White’
• Amaryllis ‘Cream’
• Amaryllis ‘Cream & Red Striped’
• Amaryllis ‘Orange’
• Amaryllis ‘Peach’
• Amaryllis ‘Yellow’
• Amaryllis ‘Green & White’
• Amaryllis ‘Burgundy’
• Amaryllis ‘Multi-colour’

How to choose

For a festive room, pick red or burgundy. For a bright hallway, pink or peach. For a gift, white or green-white — they look expensive in a plain pot. And if you cannot decide, the multi-colour pack gives you five chances to be surprised.

Not sure how to plant them? Start with our week-by-week planting guide.