Look at this beautiful Amaryllis that my friend gave me.  It has four flower buds on this stalk, and another stalk coming up.

 

I love these bulbs.  They can be "forced" to bloom,  or they can be left to bloom naturally.  And the bulbs last for years if allowed to rest between blooming.  I usually let my bulbs rest over the winter when they don't get much sun anyway.  Then in the spring when it warms up enough (over 50 degrees at night) I put them outside and they bloom and grow leaves.  They spend the summer and fall outside so their leaves can grow and make food for the bulb.  Then when nighttime temps drop below 50 degrees, I bring them into the basement to rest until next spring.  Then we start over.  

 

This one was forced to bloom at Christmastime.  That just means that the grower started watering the bulb around Thanksgiving, and in the course of a month it sent up this stalk and then bloomed.  My other Amaryllis bulbs will bloom in the spring when I put them out.  

 

I will be sure to show you all the Amaryllises when they bloom.  Each one is special and beautiful.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!