
Eye-catching Red Spider Lilies in the garden (Lycoris radiata).
A Guide to the Surprise Lily’s Stunning Late Blooms
Types
Over the years, a few breeders have attempted to create cultivars of red spider lily, but the original is so fantastic you can’t go wrong. Choose bulbs from a reputable company and you’ll be happy. Of course, you may develop a spider lily affliction, and wish to add the below species as well!
- Yellow spider lily (Lycoris aurea) shares the same late-summer blooming and winter foliage habits as its red cousin, but pushes forth huge, golden-yellow blooms with the characteristic spider resemblance. It’s a bit less cold hardy, and does best in USDA Zones 7-10.
- White spider lily (Lycoris albifolia) has the same shape blooms as the red and yellow, but of course is creamy white. It’s hardy in USDA Zones 6-10. Look for the botanical name when purchasing, as a different flower, Hymenocallis littoralis, is also called white spider lily.
Does anyone know where or what catalog has these, red and yellow spider lillies at a reasonable price?
Southern Bulbs in Texas. Naturalized here and will come up every year!
We bought an old home place back in 1986, and the lady had planted spider lillies by the front door. That's been 39 years ago, and I haven't bothered them, and they bloom every year. I always think of that lady when they bloom.
What a wonderful legacy she left you! I often look at my flower beds and wonder if someone will appreciate the bulbs and perennials after I'm gone or if they'll just get overgrown with weeds and disappear into history. I've got the snake plant from the '60s that my grandmother kept in the bathroom and her daffodils still come up all over the farm. Also several Christmas cacti that fellow officemates left behind after mass layoffs in the '80s. I think of John and Mike and Sue every year when they bloom.
So now I'm going to see where I can get some of these beautiful red spider lilies and hopefully create a legacy of my own!