Amaryllis: A Tale of True Love and Horticultural Wonder

Whatever you call them (and we'll call them amaryllis here), these dramatic tropical blooms herald the holidays with a natural beauty that only a living plant can bring. Here are 12 things you might not know about amaryllis:

• Amaryllis means to sparkle in Greek.
• Hippeastrum is derived from the Greek words for horse and star.
• In nature, amaryllis bloom in spring or summer, but are commonly forced into early bloom for the holidays.
• The U.S. imports more than 10 million amaryllis bulbs every year, mainly from Holland and South Africa.
• Plant breeders have developed more than 600 named varieties!
• Amaryllis reproduce by growing "daughter" bulbs next to the "mother" bulbs.
• It takes three to five years for a daughter bulb to reach a marketable size.
• You can grow amaryllis from seed, but it can take up to six years for them to reach maturity and produce flowers.
• Amaryllis are tender perennials; most are hardy outdoors only in zones 9 to 11.
• Properly cared for, an amaryllis plant can live for 75 years!
• Amaryllis make dramatic and long-lasting cut flowers.
• The genus Hippeastrum has yielded several substances with medically useful properties, one of which has shown promise as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.