I gave a friend an amaryllis - in a box from a local drug store- at Christmas. It is showing about 2 inches of green growth but has stayed at this stage for 3 weeks. In past I've experienced them start growing the minute they are put into soil with water. What is going on with this one?

Some bulbs seem to take a very long time to get started. Fingers crossed that eventually it will get going. Over the years, I have had occasional ones that seemed to be defective, they just never did anything at all, but that is so rare.