Regal amaryllis is striking holiday flower

With millions of poinsettias being sold in this country each year, it's easy to forget other plants that make popular Christmas gifts.

Amaryllises, as they are commonly called, are likely the most regal of all the plants you might attempt to grow indoors. With only minimal care on your part, they will transform from a leafless bulb into some of the most striking blossoms imaginable.

Like many other plants, they are misnamed. The true amaryllises are the belladonna lily or naked ladies. Amaryllis belladonna is native to South Africa. The plants we grow as interior flowers are called amaryllis but are really hippeastrums.

Despite being labeled as amaryllis, the hippeastrums are different plants from different areas of the world. There are 70-75 species and more than 600 hybrids and cultivars. They are native to tropical and subtropical Latin America.

"Hippeastrum" is a Greek word meaning "horseman's star." The Rev. William Herbert of Manchester, England, chose the name in 1837. No one knows the exact reason, but before the buds open they resemble a horse's ear, and the blossoms resemble six-pointed stars.

Dutch growers became the first commercial breeders of hippeastra. They imported several species from Latin America during the 18th century, and these were then imported here in the 1800s. Most bulbs now come from Holland and South Africa, but other countries are developing new hybrids.

Regardless of what you want to call them, they produce extraordinarily striking flowers. You can purchase the plants while they are already blooming, but they are often fragile and difficult to transport when the flowers are present. Most people prefer to give or get the bulbs and then let those grow inside their homes.

Bulb size is important. The size of the bulb determines the amount of stored energy. Larger bulbs usually produce more flowers, and the individual blossoms are larger. Smaller bulbs are less likely to bloom as well. Premium bulbs are very large and are sometimes as much as 5 inches in diameter.

Some nurseries sell unpotted bulbs. The advantage is that you can see the size and condition of the bulb before you plant it. Other retailers offer boxed or prepotted flowers, but you must make certain they are not dried out or damaged before you buy them.

Place the plant in a light area where it is not too hot. The most common mistake that growers make is overwatering the plants, causing the bulbs to rot. Keep the growing medium damp but not wet.

Initially the bulbs do not need water, but as the plant starts to grow, you must increase the amount of water. All of the energy the plants need to flower is already inside the bulb, so adding fertilizer is not needed.