Planting Red Spider lilies in zone8 - when and how deep?

Augusta, GA

A friend's mother divided her red spider lilies and shared nearly 3 dozen bulbs with me, plus a magic lily! I'm sure they will thrive, in my hot, sunny yard since we are both in zone 8.

However, I'm not sure how to plant them. Bury them two to three times their size in depth? They vary in size quite a bit. Or, like Amaryllis, should one-fourth to one-third of the bulb tip remain above ground? My understanding is they may not bloom the first year. Should I proceed to plant them or allow them to go dormant and plant them in the fall?

Thumbnail by pcm_garden
Gilmer, TX(Zone 8b)

Hi there
I am sorry to answer your thread so late, I hope you are still around!
You can plant those spider lilies now and they will be fine. If she dug them up in February then that is just perfect. They bloomed last Sept/Oct most likely and they have had at least 6 weeks after blooming to gather sunlight for energy into the bulbs. I would not wait to get them back into the ground for fear of mildew or drying out.
Bury them about 4-6" deep and they will be fine. Just in case you aren't aware, they might take up to 3 years or so before they bloom again. They seem to get upset after getting moved, and they put up foliage only for a while. Just be patient, they will return this fall. Hopefully they will bloom for you in 2012.

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

Lycoris, the surprise! flower

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