Newly purchased Spider Lily bulbs

Hello, fellow gardeners -

I recently acquired 10 red spider lily bulbs (grown in South Carolina) on ebay. It was an impulse buy and now that they have arrived I am worried. Will these be okay in the ground year round here in southern Connecticut (zone 6b). And I noticed they have about 4" of growth coming out. Should I plant them now just before frost and winter or store them as is until next spring?

Any advise is appreciated.

Diane Krny
Clinton, CT

http://plantsdatabase.com/go/2109/

not hardy in your area, unless you can find them a protected micro-climate. Do plant them, either in the ground or in pots. Now is the time they make their foliage. They will go dormant by spring and disappear until fall.

I'm in a big hurry, so more later if no one else comes along. Good Luck!

Cheri'

Don't be so quick to dismiss these little beauties. There are actually some web sites that list them as hardy up to zone 3.

I sent some to my mom, who is in zone 5, and they have bloomed there. In addition, I sent some to my MIL and they are currently blooming in Bartlesville, OK (zone 6).

http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Current/Detail/04054.html

and

http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Current/Detail/04054.html

smiln32 is correct.

These are not the kind of bulb you should store over winter, as winter is their growing season. Give them a nice soak, it seems that rain and moisture have as much to do with their cycle as the time of year. I'd find a sunny area (perhaps under a tree that has lost it's leaves?) that is protected from the north, and plant them 5 or 6 inches deep (mine are only about 4 inches deep, but it's a lot warmer here). Some bulb food wouldn't hurt.

They are pouty, and resent being moved. They may not bloom the first year or so after dividing. They are worth the wait. Besides, once you get them planted and growing, they require nothing else of you for years.

I have a bunch of them that just 'appeared' along a fence that we erected. Apparently they were planted there years before, but that area had become part of the yard before we moved into the house. Once the fence went up, they were no longer being mowed, and they started flowering. It had been at least 10 years since anyone even knew they were there.

I'd give it a shot, these are great.

Cheri'

Thank you all for your help. I decided to keep a couple and try planting them in the most protected spot I have. The rest, I have shipped to my cousin down your way in Gilbert, LA. He loves them and welcomed the unexpected gift.

Diane