Hippeastrum

When I think of winter, growing Amaryllis bulbs is one of the traditions in our family that I truly look forward to. The bulbs are giant and seem to instantly sprout, giving an impressive bloom. It is also a great activity for kids to teach about bulbs and offers almost immediate gratification. They are lovely as gifts and for me create a sense of tropical in the midst of our Ohio Winters. I LOVE AMARYLLIS BULBS! I found this site that details the bulbs history....

Amaryllis: elegant, sensual, and mysterious. A tender tropical plant, the amaryllis bursts into magisterial flower from an oversized bulb.

The virtues of amaryllis are many. To begin with, it is easy to grow. No coddling the first year is necessary, and it does not demand a faux winter in the refrigerator, as do crocus, hyacinth, and tulip. When you purchase your dynamo bulb, whether from the local garden center or from a mail-order nursery, it contains all the resources, energy, and determination to flower-almost no matter what you do. The bulb farm will have pushed, or "forced," your bulb into a state of readiness. The flower bud already resides inside its round belly. All you have to do is give it light and a little water; it is cued to perform.

No wonder, then, that this illustrious bulb has had a remarkable, if sometimes elusive, history....read more... http://www.gardenguides.com/books/amaryllisexc.asp