Hi Elly, I would dearly love to have a couple of you Amaryllis bulbs if you still have some. I live in East Texas and they will grow just fine here. I've never seen any Amaryllis that looked like that. I don't have alot to trade. I lost a great many of my plants due to all the rain we had here in East Texas during the months of May, June and July. It rained EVERYDAY in May and June. Then every couple of days in July. Needless to say most of my beloved plants drowned. My cannas and Elephant Ears loved all the water. I have Tropicanna Gold, Tropicanna Black, and eight other cannas if you would be interested in any of them. Please email me at marianwinnsboro@hotmail.com Thanks in advance, Marian AKA Lovely Iris

Susan those are beautiful! How great to share that love with so many of my friends! good morning Pat lol Karyn I am not sure...let me count them. I had bought a few at the last Co-Op Ryan co hosted at Dave's. ha ha ha so is DH bringing them home with a tractor trailer? lol My heart almost broke when I saw that the sticks to hold the stems...were poked right into the bulb from you :-( But I am not sure if you saw it...it had a BABY bulb and it is growing !!! :-) Lucy

I used to grow these. If you give them more light (natural or fluorescent), they'll grow a bit shorter, and therefore, sturdier and balanced. Otherwise, they'll grow tall and have a tendency to tip over. After they bloom, cut off the bloom stalk, and allow the foliage to grow. For this, steady and regulated light is necessary, whether inside or outside. If you want blooms at Christmas, you would force a dormancy by withholding water, starting around the second week in August. You would place the pot in a dark, cool basement or a garage that doesn't freeze, and you would allow it about a 10-12 week rest. Some people will tip the pot on its side so they remember not to water. Once the leaves have died back, they can be removed. After the 10-12 weeks, check the bulb ... there may some bud growth at this point. In any case, bring it back into a warm, bright room and water it. You should see growth begin shortly. The natural bloom cycle of a Hippeastrum takes place in spring, so if you choose not to force a dormancy, you can grow your bulb like a houseplant, giving it as much light as possible, and feeding and watering as it requires. With good care, your bulb should bloom in spring. It may not bloom the first spring following purchase, but if conditions are right, the following spring should bring blooms. Then replant in refreshed soil, and the bulb should bloom in about 12 weeks. PS. Keep a plant pest spray on hand for the fungus gnats. This post was edited by aegis500 on Mon, Nov 24, 14 at 18:20

In your zone, they're best planted in containers and kept indoors during cold weather. Amaryllis are really Hippeastrum, and they're tender bulbs originating in South America. You can plant them outside in spring, after the danger of frost has passed, but they will need to be dug and stored for winter, like Cannas or Glads. If you're interested in growing them, you can find a wealth of great information here in the forum... from basic culture to forcing, and beyond! Most of us who post here on a regular basis are bulb addicts, and some of us delve into pollinating and breeding different crosses. Hippeastrum bulbs are really easy to grow once you know the basics, and the flowers are like no others, large and gorgeous! Once you've given growing them a try, and had some success, there's a distinct possibility that you'll become as hooked as we are! In any case, we're here to help... so, if you have questions, we'll do our best to answer. Hippeastrum bulbs prefer a porous, well-draining soil, and they hate to have wet feet... it's best to allow the soil to dry out a bit in between waterings. They need lots of sunlight, decent air circulation, and fertilizer every once in a while. They can be grown as houseplants, in which case they'll normally flower in spring if they're getting good care. Good Luck!