Lycoris radiata [spider lily] question

[MMathis]

I didn't see a topic for bulbs.....

I love these, so finally decided to dedicate a bed for them! I've read about everything I can find and know that they will sprout flowers in the fall, followed by the leaves. Everything says to plant the bulbs in the fall. Well, I just got mine and planted them, but it's spring. Will the bulbs be OK over the summer? It seems like they would spend the summer soaking up nutrients and setting roots, in prep for their first bloom. Oh, BTW, I finally did find one reference that said it was OK to plant them any time of the year....

 

[MMathis]

UPDATE: I scraped back a little of the mulch, and found several of the bulbs putting out growth.

 

[MMathis]

Another UPDATE: The first one is showing itself -- the stalk is up about 10" and you can see the buds!! So excited! I can see where a few more are starting to break the surface. As soon as I get blooms, I will post pics!

 

[MMathis]

And.....here it is!

 

[alp]

I have googled and it says that it's not frost hardy. I reckon you must have found this. How cold can NW Louisana get in winter, @MMathis ?

In the wiki

Lycoris radiata is not frost-hardy and so can only be grown under glass or in a very sheltered position in countries like England which are subject to frost.[5] Bulbs can be stored in a dry environment between 45–55 degrees Fahrenheit (7–13 degrees Celsius). They should be planted in the spring in full sun in well-drained soil (e.g. sandy with some clay), 8 inches (20 cm) deep, with 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) between each bulb, and left undisturbed. Plants will flower in late summer or early fall, with stems around 24–28 inches (60–70 cm) tall. Leaves follow the flowers, remaining through the winter and disappearing in early summer.

Apparently, it flowers after heavy rainfall and that's why it's also called hurricane lily .

Hope it helps.

 

[MMathis]

I have googled and it says that it's not frost hardy. I reckon you must have found this. How cold can NW Louisana get in winter, @MMathis ?

In the wiki

Lycoris radiata is not frost-hardy and so can only be grown under glass or in a very sheltered position in countries like England which are subject to frost.[5] Bulbs can be stored in a dry environment between 45–55 degrees Fahrenheit (7–13 degrees Celsius). They should be planted in the spring in full sun in well-drained soil (e.g. sandy with some clay), 8 inches (20 cm) deep, with 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) between each bulb, and left undisturbed. Plants will flower in late summer or early fall, with stems around 24–28 inches (60–70 cm) tall. Leaves follow the flowers, remaining through the winter and disappearing in early summer.

Apparently, it flowers after heavy rainfall and that's why it's also called hurricane lily .

Hope it helps.

Thanks for the info. They are hardy in USDA zones 6-10. I'm in zone 8b, so should be OK -- we have very mild winters. I had also read about its being called "hurricane lily," which was interesting. This is hurricane season (Harvey and Irma), and around here, these next few weeks will be peak bloom time for them.

 

[alp]

Thanks for the info. They are hardy in USDA zones 6-10. I'm in zone 8b, so should be OK -- we have very mild winters. I had also read about its being called "hurricane lily," which was interesting. This is hurricane season (Harvey and Irma), and around here, these next few weeks will be peak bloom time for them.

Wow, make sure you upload more pics and share your pride and joy with us, @MMathis !

 

[MMathis]

Wow, make sure you upload more pics and share your pride and joy with us, @MMathis !

LOL, I sure will.....if any more of them come up! So far I haven't seen any popping up in the neighborhood, so it's possible that this one of mine was just an early-bloomer and just popped out to say "hello." You know how it can be sometimes with newly planted "things." Sometimes it takes a season or 2 for them to get in synch.