Christmas Amaryllis

Hello! I have a tradition, going back several years now, of buying an amaryllis bulb for the holiday season. For the second year in a row, I've eschewed the mass market bulbs and instead have gone to Jonker's, a local nursery. 

The difference in size was obvious when I got out the pot that had come with a amaryllis bulb kit(Smith and Hawken brand)purchased at Target a few years back. There was no room for any potting soil once the Jonker's bulb was placed in the pot! I had to use a 10" diameter pot - more than twice the size of the pot that had come with the Target purchase. To be fair, the Smith and Hawken bulb kit was cheaper than the Jonker's bulb, which didn't come with a pot, but sometimes it's fun to get a "luxury" item. 

There were several amaryllis bulb choices at Jonker's, and I selected the 'Amigo' variety. Right on schedule, it began blooming on Christmas Eve night, which made for a nice centerpiece on our dining room table. 

Still going strong today:

It stands an impressive two and one-half feet high. 

A couple of close-ups of the flowers - each is about 6 1/2" in diameter! 

So overall, quite the show and worth the extra money I paid over buying a bulb at a big box store.