To Induce Growth: Amaryllis in green pots need only a thorough watering to begin growing. Amaryllis shipped with potting mix require potting. It's also possible to grow Amaryllis in pebbles and water. Watch our head gardener demonstrate simple steps to follow in the videos "How to Pot and Care for Amaryllis" and "Growing Amaryllis in Water."

GROWING AMARYLLIS: These bulbs are prized for their willingness to produce large and colorful blooms indoors in the dead of winter. In Zones 9 and 10, they can also be planted outdoors in full sun and well-drained soil, with the shoulders of the bulbs 1in above the soil. Bulbs planted in the ground generally bloom in late spring or early summer. What follows are instructions for forcing Amaryllis indoors for winter bloom.

POTTING THE BULBS: Amaryllis shipped in bags require potting. Pot bulbs individually in 6–7in pots or group 3 bulbs together in a 10–12in container. Begin by placing a well-drained potting mix in a plastic tub. Slowly add warm water and stir with your hand until the mix is moist but not soggy. Then fill the pot about half full with potting mix, set the bulb on top of the mix and fill in around the bulb with additional mix. Adjust the position of the bulb as needed, so that the top third of the bulb is exposed. The final level of the mix should be about 1/2in below the rim of the pot to allow for watering. Firm the mix and water lightly to settle it around the bulbs. Then follow the instructions under "Pre-bloom Care" below.

PRE-POTTED BULBS: Amaryllis sent already potted need only a thorough watering with lukewarm water to begin growing. Then follow the instructions under "Pre-bloom Care" below. Please note: Prepotted Amaryllis in baskets are shipped with a layer of decorative Spanish moss on top of each pot. With a pair of scissors, snip the rubber band that holds the Spanish moss in place and arrange the moss around the bulb so it looks attractive.

PRE-BLOOM CARE OF AMARYLLIS: Place the pot where the temperature remains above 60°F. The warmer the temperature (70–80°F night and day is ideal), the faster the bulb will sprout and grow. Water only when the top inch of the potting mix is dry to the touch. Watering more frequently, particularly just after potting, can cause the bulb to rot. (If the pot is covered with Spanish Moss, lift the moss and pour water directly on the potting mix.) Growth generally begins in 2–8 weeks. Provide ample sunshine (a south-facing window or a sunroom) as soon as the bulb sprouts. Rotate the pot frequently to prevent the flower stalks from leaning toward the light. The flower stalks may require support to keep from toppling; our Amaryllis stakes are ideally suited to this purpose.

REBUILDING THE BULB: After flowering, your bulb is exhausted. If you want flowers next year (many people prefer simply to purchase new bulbs every fall), you must allow it to rebuild itself. After the last bloom fades, cut off the flower stalk 3–5 inches above the bulb, but leave the foliage intact. Put your plant in a sunny window (a south-facing one is best), water when the top inch of the potting mix is dry to the touch, and begin fertilizing with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer once a month. When the danger of frost has passed in spring, set the pot outdoors in full sun or knock the bulb out of its pot and plant it in the ground in a sunny location. In fall—we often wait until frost blackens the leaves—bring the bulb indoors, cut the foliage off just above the bulb, and store it dry in a cool (55°F), dark place such as a basement for 8–10 weeks. Then pot (or repot) the bulb and water it. Thereafter, keep the potting mix almost dry until new growth emerges, and follow the instructions under "Pre-bloom Care" above.

GROWING AMARYLLIS IN STONES AND WATER: These large bulbs will grow happily and bloom abundantly in nothing more than stones and water. To "plant" your bulb, begin by carefully placing river stones to a depth of about 4 inches in our Hurricane Vase, or 2 inches in the Crackle-glazed Planter. With scissors, trim off any roots on the bulb that are brown and dried, but let the roots that are whitish and fleshy remain. Place the Amaryllis bulb, roots down, on top of the stones, then put the remaining stones around the bulb, leaving the top third of the bulb exposed. Finally, add water until the level reaches just below the base of the bulb but no higher. If the base of the bulb sits in water, it will rot.

After planting, set the container on a sunny windowsill in a room where the temperature remains above 60°F. The warmer the temperature (70–80°F night and day is ideal), the faster the bulb will sprout and grow. Check the water level daily. Add water as needed to keep the level below the base of the bulb. A shoot will emerge from the top of the bulb in 2–8 weeks; you may (or may not) see thick white roots pushing between the stones before then. Rotate the container frequently to prevent the flower stalks from leaning toward the light. After the last blooms fade, we recommend that you dispose of the bulb; Amaryllis grown in water may not perform well in subsequent years. However, if you do wish to continue growing the bulb, follow the instructions given in "Potting the Bulbs" and "Rebuilding the Bulb."