Hippeastrum bulb

In professional floriculture, the size of a Hippeastrum bulb is measured by its circumference in centimeters. Mature, flowering-sized bulbs have a circumference of 20–24 cm, while specimens 30 cm and larger are classified as top-size. The diameter of mature bulbs typically ranges from 5 to 10 cm.

Bulb size directly correlates with generative productivity: larger specimens are capable of producing two or more flower stalks with 3 to 6 flowers on each. After intensive forcing, bulbs are prone to a loss of volume and weight, which requires full replenishment of nutrient reserves during the active leaf vegetative period.

Agronomic assessment of planting material includes monitoring firmness, the state of the basal plate, and the short neck. Bulb firmness is an indicator of water status and accumulated reserves, and the integrity of the basal plate is critical for preventing infections, as this area is a biologically vulnerable zone of the plant.