Amaryllis
Amaryllis spp. (Amaryllidaceae)
Also called Many, including: Belladonna lily, Saint Joseph lily, Cape Belladonna, Naked Lady.
Cats and dogs
Toxic to cats and dogs
What makes it toxic: Lycorine and others.
Signs to watch for: Vomiting (not horses), depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, anorexia, tremors.
Source: ASPCA entry "Amaryllis", checked October 3, 2026.
Light
- Low light 3+ mol
- Medium light 6+ mol
- Bright indirect 10+ mol Copes
- Direct sun 12+ mol Best
Amaryllis needs a sunny window with direct sun while it is growing. Once it blooms, moving it out of direct sun to a cooler spot makes the flowers last longer.
Direct sun: needs several hours a day.
On our scale it grows well from about 12 mol/m²/day and holds on down to roughly 2.2 (how these numbers are set).
Care
Care level: Moderate. Water: Keep the potting mix barely moist until growth starts, then water more often, whenever the surface is nearly dry.
Plenty of light in spring and summer helps the bulb store energy to rebloom.
Pet-safe plants for similar light
- Burro's tail direct sun
- Echeveria (hens and chickens) direct sun
- Ponytail palm direct sun
- Venus flytrap direct sun
- Areca palm bright indirect light
- Basil direct sun
Sources
- Toxicity: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, "Amaryllis"
- Light and care: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, "All About Amaryllis"
- Light and care: University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension (Wisconsin Horticulture), "Amaryllis, Hippeastrum"
- Light and care: UF/IFAS Extension Gardening Solutions, "Amaryllis"