Lycoris (Spider Lilies)

A member of the Amaryllis family, Lycoris (Spider Lilies) are striking bulbous perennials boasting showy umbels of funnel-shaped flowers on naked stems in late summer and early fall. Appearing almost magically since there is no foliage to indicate where their bulb has been planted, they pop out of the ground in a pretty array of bright colors and last about 2 weeks. As if refusing to appear with the flowers, the foliage of linear or strap-shaped leaves emerges before or after flowering, remaining fresh-looking for weeks before dying down in summer.

• The many nicknames of this plant, surprise lily, magic lily, resurrection lily or naked lily refer to the fact that the flowers appear atop sturdy, leafless stems, long after the leaves have withered and disappeared.
• Lycoris include over a dozen species, most are native to China or Japan.
• They flower best in full sun to partial shade.
• The bulbs of some species gleefully multiply to quickly form small colonies.
• Easy to grow, durable and long-lived, they are trouble-free, attract butterflies and hummingbirds, but deer and rabbits seldom eat them.
• Perfect for the late summer garden, they are beautiful garden plants and deserve a prime spot in borders or large containers. They will bring many years of pleasure and plenty of compliments on your garden. They deserve an invitation to your garden party!