Lycoris radiata Seeds | Red Spider Lily
LATIN NAME: Lycoris radiata
COMMON NAME: Red Spider Lily
Plant Profile
Red Spider Lily (Lycoris radiata) grows as a handsome, bulb in the amaryllis family, native to warm, open places of the eastern Asia, while it is treasured for its fine, striking red flowers. In amaryllis family it is bright-red, curling-flowered spider lily of autumn, a bulb whose leafless stems of red blossom light up the season. At maturity it stands about Sixty centimetres. When it flowers, local bees and other insects make good use of it. Each of these traits is modest on its own; together they make a garden-worthy plant.
Science & Biotechnology
Lycoris radiata sits in the amaryllis family, a group that keeps botanists, horticulturists and plant breeders busy with questions of classification, adaptation and ornamental potential. Red spider lily bulb is a familiar subject in chemistry of amaryllis compounds, and constituents have been examined with greatest care by researchers across the world. Continuing work by breeders and collectors keeps good seed of this species moving through the trade.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Red Spider Lily for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. In autumn garden, red spider lily is bright-red plant of the season. Its curling flowers feed few late insects, and strap-shaped leaves give border a fine, dark-green presence in their own season. It has become a treasured flowering bulb of autumn border across world, and it grows well in gritty, well-drained ground of warm, open spot. Once it has settled, the workload drops to almost nothing.
Surprise lilies are dazzling autumn bulbs; they contain lycorine and galanthamine-family alkaloids, the chemistry behind an approved Alzheimer’s drug, which also makes them toxic and strictly ornamental.
Growing from Seed
Red Spider Lily grows readily from seed. Surface-sow onto a light, well-drained compost, dust over a thin covering, and keep evenly moist and sunny until the seedlings show. Grow the youngsters on steadily in pots until well rooted, then move them to their final positions.
Our Take
Red Spider Lily settles in quickly once it finds its footing. In a sunny, freely drained position it needs little looking after.
Related Reading
More species in the same orbit as Red Spider Lily: