Article: Christmas bloomers can live long lives.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

LEXINGTON, Ky. _ Geneva Ashby and her amaryllis go back a long way more than 28 years. A teacher friend gave her the showy red Christmas bloomer before Ashby retired in 1973 as a fourth-grade teacher.

When she and her late husband, C.A. Ashby, spent winters in Florida, ``I carried it back and forth to take care of it,'' said Ashby, who now lives in Richmond Place retirement community.

Amaryllis can be temperamental about blooming every year, but Ashby said hers has only missed a time or two.

Recently, it had eight blooms on one stalk, and two more stalks had emerged.

Amaryllis and other Christmas bloomers are grown to be in top form ...

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