Amaryllis is known for it's large flowers that look exotic and dangerous and yet they are the easiest bulbs to bring to bloom.  They can be planted indoors and/or outdoors.  There are many varieties and their colors can be in shades of red, white, pink, orange and salmon and some are striped or variegated.  They originated in the tropics of South America and are in popular demand worldwide.  Flowering  begins in approximately 7-10 weeks.  You could plant several indoors at different times so you will always have some flowering over the year. 

Here are some basic planting instructions:  You will need a pot that's a bit larger than the bulb.  Potting soil will work and you'll want to leave the top third of the bulb exposed, above the soil.  Be sure to keep the soil moist, but not wet.  Temperatures should be between 68 and 77 degrees.  The bulbs will thrive in bright light.  You'll want to turn the pot regularly to keep the stalk from falling over.  Occasionally the flowers can cause the plant to want to fall over, so it's a good idea to use a bamboo stake and a soft yarn or similar soft string to hold the plant to keep it upright!   Remember, winter flowering time takes longer than in the spring.

Amaryllis can be made to reflower!  After it has stopped flowering, cut off the old flowers and when the stem starts to sag cut the stem back to the top of the bulb.  Continue to water and fertilize as normal.  This will allow the leaves to grow.  After the leaves yellow, cut them back to about 2" from the top of the bulb and remove it from the soil.  Clean the bulb and put in a cool dark place for at least 6 weeks.  Your refrigerator crisper is great, however, do not store apples at the same time as they will sterilize the bulbs.  After the 6 weeks, you can plant them again and they will bloom in about 8 weeks after that.