I have been watching a lot of football the last two weekends, even though the Colts went belly up this season.  Personally, to make the games more fun, I choose the next best option(s) to ROOT for during the playoff season. I always pick one AFC and one NFC team to support and this years are the Denver Broncolts and the Arizona Cardinapolis’s. (I’m a dork…I know) This weeks Plant of the Week will be my ode to their hopeful playoff success! A bright, bold and entertaining flower, this weeks Plant of the Week is a born winner, the Amaryllis!

Now this plant is a warm weather loving organism, (aren’t we all?) so if you decide you want one it will take some care on your part to ensure it lasts. You will not be planting this in your garden expecting this to come up after a frigid Indiana winter. The best way to enjoy this plant in Indiana is to plant it in a pot you can easily move around and store during the winter months. We generally store ours in the basement or garage, but any dark space that stays above freezing will work while it is dormant. When the warm season comes back, just bring it back outside and enjoy the show!

Now, why should you go through the trouble? Simple! The blooms of the Amaryllis are stunning! Sporting six to ten inch flowers on top of one to two foot stalks it is an exciting treat to look forward to each year. The blooms are often red, but can also be salmon, white, pink, bicolor, etc. When in full bloom it is a plant you simply can not walk by without stopping to enjoy it.  Amaryllis can be kept inside year round and it will bloom during the winter months! Sadly, we have not had the best luck going this route. A home with the correct sunlight should have no problem at all though!  A full sun location will be the best spot, but it will tolerate partial sunlight as well.

I encourage you all to check this flower out! It is a really fun way to bring gardening indoors or to add a spark to your outdoor sitting area! Indoor plants are a great way to get your kids involved in gardening as well. You can find more instruction on how to care for Amaryllis by checking out this website here.  Enjoy this playoff season and think about Amaryllis while you watch!