Some bulbs are sold dipped in wax so they don't need soil or even water. If you plan to keep your amaryllis bulb after it flowers, growing it in a pot with soil is best.

While many people treat amaryllis bulbs as annuals and throw them away once they finish blooming after the holidays, these plants can be cultivated and forced to rebloom for years.

Dutch-grown bulbs are hard-pressed to flower in time for the holidays because of the way their internal clock has been reworked; amaryllis hails from the Southern Hemisphere.

Amaryllis comes from a Greek word meaning to sparkle or twinkle. Belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, Hippeastrum bulbs originate from Central and South America, particularly the Andes region.

For a dramatic holiday flower, consider a giant amaryllis. They're easy to grow and, the bigger the bulb, the more magnificent flowers it will produce.

For just about all varieties of amaryllis, the bulbs will freeze at temperatures between 20-25 F. If your microclimate provides this type of protection, then the bulbs will survive the winter.

Amaryllis comes from a Greek word meaning to sparkle or twinkle. Belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, Hippeastrum bulbs originate from Central and South America, particularly the Andes region.