It’s a plant that promises big blooms before the leaves even sprout. Here are a few tips to keep them healthy and blooming year after year.

Amaryllis bulbs bring the largest flowers of the Christmas season. They're available alongside poinsettias and holiday cactus on so many local store shelves.

The bulbs have all the energy they need to grow and bloom, so they don’t require any soil to bloom. That's why the bulbs are sold in creative ways - sometimes encased in decorative wax, or placed on pretty dishes. The giant blooms develop before the leaves do which adds to the drama this plant delivers.

Once the blooms are finished, treat this plant like any other houseplant and put it in a container with soil. Mine go outside in the summertime. The leaves are large and beautiful!

Although Amaryllis are in the same family as Daffodils, these are tropical plants and cannot survive freezing temperatures. Don't worry if all the leaves die back. These plants naturally go dormant when the days start to cool, and even require it.

These plants will send up new flowers after a month or two of dormancy in cool and dark conditions. Outside they'll naturally go dormant when the days start to get cooler. Gardeners can cut back on watering when the leaves wither away and bring it back to a warm spot about 8 weeks before blooms are wanted.