What is better than FRESH flowers for your home? Not much. With the Christmas season around the corner, Amaryllis are a great holiday plant to decorate with. Amaryllis are easy to care for, produce gorgeous flowers for winter interest, and come in a variety of colors.

These tropical bulb flowers need full sun to bright indirect light. They can grow between 1-2 feet tall and 6-12 inches wide, depending on the variety. Since it takes about 8 weeks for the bulbs to bloom, late October is the time to start them.

How To Get Started:

• Select large, solid bulbs that don't show signs of decay. Larger bulbs usually produce two flower stalks.
• Use a pot that is 1 to 2 inches wider than the diameter of the bulb.
• Add a small amount of potting soil to the bottom of the pot and place the bulb atop the soil and in the center of the pot.
• Fill the pot with additional potting soil. The top inch or so (the shoulders) should be above the soil line.
• Water the soil with lukewarm water and place it in a room that is between 70º to 75º F. Allow the soil to dry before watering again. Keep the soil moist, but not wet.
• When the plant starts to grow, move it to a sunny window.
• Turn the pot each day to keep the flower growing straight. Flower stalks that start to lean will more then likely need to be staked.
• When the Amaryllis starts to bloom, move the plant to a slightly cooler location, 65º to 70º F. This will help prolong the life of the blossoms.

Planting Amaryllis Using Pebbles:

If you are looking for a unique way to showcase the plant, try these steps for placing the Amaryllis bulb in a tall, clear vase.

• Select a 6 inch tall, clear vase.
• Place 3 inches of pebbles in the bottom of the vase.
• Set Amaryllis bulb on top of pebbles.
• Add water - just below the roots. Let the roots grow toward the water.
• When the Amaryllis blooms, keep in a cooler room to help flowers live longer.
• When flowers die, cut stems near the top of the bulb, leaving the foliage to continue growing.

Easy Maintenance Tricks to Keep Your Amaryllis Looking Its Best

• Remove yellow pollen sacs to prolong flowering and prevent seed development.
• Remove spent flowers from the top of the stem (scape) right away.
• Cut the main stem down to 1 inch tall after all flowering has finished.
• Keep the foliage as healthy as possible year-round.
• NEVER cut the foliage, as 4 leaves are required to product 1 flowering stem.