Plant This: Yellow spider lilies
Golden hour is a lot more golden when yellow spider lilies (Lycoris aurea) are blooming. Even after a hot, dry summer, these tough but glorious bulbs popped up right on schedule with our first fall rain. Each day brings new flowers as tardier blossoms continue to unfurl atop naked green stems.
I’m growing them in dappled shade with a blast of afternoon sun, in a gravelly bed where a whale’s tongue agave (Moby 2) normally hogs all the attention. But come fall, he has competition for a week or so.
They look pretty good together actually: spiky with soft, muscular with ethereal, blue with yellow.
Late each afternoon, as the sun drops below the live oak canopy in the neighbor’s yard, sunbeams light up the golden flowers.
If you garden in the South, you’re probably used to seeing red spider lilies, aka hurricane lilies (Lycoris radiata). These are their sunnier cousins, and, in my garden at least, they grow taller and bloom more reliably. I’m still waiting to see if my red ones will come up this year. But the yellows — they’re golden.
Note: My Plant This posts are written primarily for gardeners in Central Texas. The plants I recommend are ones I’ve grown myself and have direct experience with. Check online forums for your region or local independent nurseries to see if a particular plant might work in your area.
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Digging Deeper
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All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Bellisimo! I’m glad you mentioned you’re still waiting to see if your red ones will be coming up–I’m in the same boat
Some years they just decide to sleep through fall. I suspect they resent a drought and are snubbing their noses at the little rain we’ve had since July here in Austin.
They are beautiful. I’ve had the Lycoris radiata for years and so far I’ve had one bloom. When I was a kid my family had these all over the place. Where did you acquire these yellow ones? I’ve heard that when you buy them through the mail there is a protective coating to retard the bloom in shipping. I’m curious about where you purchased them. Also, how long have your red ones been planted?
I can’t find any record of my purchase, but I want to say I got the yellow spider lilies at Barton Springs Nursery about 3 years ago. Or maybe I ordered them from Southern Bulb Co. My red ones have been moved around from garden to garden. They resent being transplanted and divided and often take a couple of years to get re-established, but they did bloom last year. This year, nada.
Man, I’ve been seeing Greg Grant’s posts about these on FB and was so tempted to drive out there for his bulb sale just to get these. Where did you find yours?
I think I found them at Barton Springs Nursery a few years ago but can’t remember for sure. Then again, maybe I ordered them from Southern Bulb Company.
Love these yellow spider lilies! Do you know where you can get them locally? And do they only bloom a couple of weeks each fall?
Also, Pam, would you please add my address – 111 Birnam Wood Court – to your blog post on the Garden Conservancy Open Day? GC left it off their publications and we need to get it out there for people to come!
Thanks so much – Ruthie
I can’t remember exactly where I got them. Maybe Barton Springs Nursery but maybe Southern Bulb Company. And yes, I’ll be glad to add your address to my post. Hope you have a great turnout!
Absolute gorgeous idea to plant those yellow lilies between blue agaves. Of course, I had to order some. Super excited.
Great! Where did you find them, Karin? Lots of people are asking.
I try not to get jealous of the plants you can grow because I don’t really want to live under the death star! But those are so dramatic and rich looking.
We need a few perks to make up for the Death Star. Bluebonnets, pleasant winters, amazing tacos, and yeah, spider lilies too! 😉
[…] the good: my yellow spider lilies (Lycoris aurea) are at peak bloom. Every flower has opened and seems filled with golden sunlight. […]
My Lycoris radiata are blooming like gangbusters this year! Will have to look for the yellow. I’ve read there’s a white variety, too.
Oooh, I’d like to see those.
How deep did you plant your yellow spider lilies? I just purchased some from Southern Bulb Co… excited to get them in the ground this week. I live in Georgetown.. west of I35 so I’ve put lots of soil down over the years. Thank you in advance.. hope you are still out there.
I don’t remember, but twice as deep as the height of the bulb is a general rule of thumb. Mine are coming up and should be blooming soon!