The amaryllis flower has long been one of the top three flowers at Christmas along with the poinsettia and Christmas cactus.

They are definitely one of the showiest flowers with their large, bell-like blooms on tall stalks. The name amaryllis comes from the Greek word for “to sparkle.”

Some flowers come with mysterious mythological stories attached to them and the amaryllis is no exception. Its blood-red shade has a tragic tale behind it, with the story of a nymph called Amaryllis and a handsome shepherd called Alteo.

The story goes that Amaryllis was in love with Alteo and planned to let him know just how strongly she felt by piercing her heart every day with a golden arrow.

Alteo wasn’t that impressed by this gory declaration of love and on the 30th day, he opened his door to find a red amaryllis flower had grown in her place, from her blood.

Growing an amaryllis requires no special skills. In fact, once a bulb is ready to bloom, it will flower with or without you.

When the bulb has finished flowering for the season, the new flower bud will already be developing inside the bulb for the next year.

Even though the bulbs look after themselves for most things, here are a few tips that will help you get the best possible results from these impressive, winter-blooming bulbs.

The key to having multiple large flowers is in the bulb itself. The larger the bulb is, the more flower stalks and flowers you can expect to see.

You can purchase amaryllis bulbs almost anywhere — but remember, you get what you pay for. Less expensive bulbs are usually less mature and will not put on the show that larger, more mature bulbs will. Some bulbs can be as large as 12 inches in diameter.

Many people treat amaryllis bulbs as a one-time thing and throw them away, but they will continue improving with time.

When purchasing an amaryllis bulb, inspect each bulb before you buy and leave the damaged ones at the store. It’s OK if leaves or buds are already growing from the bulbs. The most important thing is to make sure the bulbs are dry, firm, and free of mould and spots.

If you are not planting the bulb right away, store the bulbs in a cool, dry place away from sunlight until you’re ready to plant them.

You can buy amaryllis bulbs either on their own or sold as a kit containing everything you need for planting them. If you are purchasing or have been given a bulb without the kit, here are some things to consider.

Amaryllis have long stems and big flowers and tend to be top-heavy. So, a heavy pot with a wide base will help the plant stay upright.

Choose a pot that is about two inches wider than the bulb. If you are planting several bulbs in one container, they can be planted about an inch apart.

Use a light, soilless potting mix to plant the bulb into, leaving the top one-third of the bulb exposed above the soil.

After you plant your bulbs, water well to help settle them into their pots. Then keep the soil barely moist, applying no more than a quarter-cup of water per week.

For best results, grow your amaryllis in a relatively cool room with bright, indirect light. The first thing to emerge from the bulb is usually a bud. Leaves and additional stems will follow.

As with all fresh flowers, cool temperatures will extend their life. Amaryllis also make excellent cut flowers. Cut the stems right before the buds are ready to open and display them in a vase with greens or other seasonal blooms.

Rotating the pot every few days will help keep the stems straight. After planting, be patient. It usually takes a month or two for the bulbs to wake up and begin growing.

To enjoy a long bloom season, you can plant different varieties of amaryllis or plant bulbs at various times for staggered blooms.

All that is left is to sit back and enjoy.

Joanne Young is a Niagara-on-the-Lake garden expert and coach. See her website at joanneyoung.ca