Resurrection Lily, Hardy Amaryllis, Magic Lily, Autumn Lycoris, Naked Lady
Lycoris squamigera
Family: Amaryllidaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Pink. Main Bloom Time: Early fall, Late summer. Form: Upright or erect.
Lycoris squamigera is a BULB growing to 0.7 m (2ft 4in) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.7
Where it is found
Edges of cultivated fields.
E. Asia - Japan.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Bulb - cooked. It is used as a source of starch. The bulb is 4cm in diameter. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Foundation, Massing, Rock garden, Seashore, Specimen. Requires a deep well-drained sandy soil rich in organic matter in full sun. The bulb should be planted quite shallowly so that it can ripen well after flowering. Hardy to at least -15°c, the leaves are produced in early spring and persist until late summer. Plants need a warm period in late summer in order to ripen the bulbs and induce flowering in the following year. A very ornamental species, each bulb producing a number of flowering stems in mid to late summer. The flowers are very sweetly scented, the scent pervading the whole garden. Plants are attractive to slugs and need to be protected from them. Very sensitive to root disturbance, the bulbs can take some years to become well established. Special Features:Not North American native, Naturalizing, Suitable for cut flowers, Fragrant flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms.
Propagating it: The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse and should germinate in the spring. Sow the seed thinly so that it does not need to be disturbed for its first year of growth. Give an occasional liquid feed during the growing season to ensure the plants do not become nutrient deficient. Pot up the small bulbs when the plants become dormant, placing 2 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another 2 years in the greenhouse before planting them out when they are dormant. Division of offsets in the dormant season.
Best place to grow: South Wall. By.
Habit: Bulb
Hardiness: 6-10
Growth: Slow
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The bulb contains toxins and must be leached before it is used for food.