Naked Ladies? For real?

We recently bought a new house with some rather large, over grown and under cared for garden spaces. This foliage came up this spring, and obviously got hit hard by the late cold snap we had here in Indiana. It has shown no sign of flowering, and a neighbor tells me she thinks they may be "Naked Ladies". . .the foliage will die back, and then, late in the summer, the bulbs will flower. I've heard them called something else, but can't remember what. I do know the bulb is rather large, as I accidentally dug some of them up while transplanting that poor lilac. Do you think that's what I've got? The previous owner swears that they are beautiful! Crzymom

It looks like Naked Lady / Amaryllis belladonna:

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2377/index.html

(edit: it's NOT this plant, please keep reading the thread)



This message was edited Aug 19, 2007 11:28 PM

If they are, try not to move them around - it will delay flowering.

I think they are. their also called surprise lilies. It looks like my foilage. It surprised me as I've only been here 1 1/2 yrs. The foilage will brown and wither, you'll think they've died
and then they just reappear on a long stalk with a pink flower on top.

Not Amaryllis belladonna.
It's Lycoris squamigera - same common name but a different plant.

A. belladonna requires a mediterranean climate to perform best - needs mild, wet winters when the foliage is growing and warm, dry summers during dormancy. In the US it does best in California. The foliage is more narrow than L. squamigera and a darker green, with a central crease.

L. squamigera is much hardier and will tolerate much colder and wetter climates than L. belladonna. The foliage is wide, somewhat glaucous, and has rounded tips. The flowers are also different - very reflexed petals often with a blue/purple tint on the edges of the buds.

You should have something like this in August

We bought a property and had the same thing...a big clump of foliage and a couple of blooms much later after the foliage died back (seemed to pop up over night). The blooms are a pretty pink and slightly fragrant. Lycoris squamigera is in the Plant Files. That cluster should be dug up carefully after it blooms (if no blooms, end of summer). You'll get more blooms if they're not so crowded. Let the foliage die back without cutting it. After the bulbs have been dug up and transplanted, it can take a couple of years for them to bloom so place them carefully. I've heard them called Naked Ladies, Surprise Lilies and Magic Lilies. If you tried to purchase the bulbs, they could cost $5 to $8 a piece (or more).

Denise

This message was edited May 25, 2007 1:16 AM

My sister and brother-in-law gave me three bulbs last summer. This past spring all three sprouted leaves that died back in July. Now I have this flower stalk from one of the bulbs - my first Naked Lady!

My sister says they dig up a few of their bulbs every other year or so to divide the little bulblets off to make new plants.

I hope to make a colony to give my flower bed some more August color after the lilies and daylilies have finished.

Jeannine

Fun, aren't they? :)

Great Fun! Wonderful August surprises here in Minnesota!

Moby, which species is in your picture? Is that the belladonna or the other....I got a bit confused reading this thread, and wasn't sure which one is actually pictured..lol sorry...but it is just beautiful...I don't have those....

That's Lycoris squamigera http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/517/ Amaryllis belladonna isn't hardy here.

Thanks, I have never seen them in Georgia, maybe they grow here, but I don't remember seeing them. I have Crinim, and Amaryllis, and even Amaricrinum..lol....I will have to find me some of these too! Thanks again!

This site in the Plant Files lists 4 vendors. Some are sold out, but at least one still has this plant for sale.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/517/

This message was edited Aug 16, 2007 6:20 AM

thanks