Finally found some Lycoris!

[Lauren]

Hi all! Long time between posts again. WELL I am back at uni studying Information systems/Business, and in between classes today (had a two hour gap) I thought I might go to the local garden centre which is a few blocks away from campus. Checked out some shrubs and grasses, as I am going to create a small 'low maintenance' front garden. Was surprised to see they had pots of blue Corydalis in bloom already, but I resisted as I have already killed them twice before... On the way out though I thought I might as well check out their Spring Bulbs section at the front of the store, because after all, one can never have enough bulbs. Sifted through the pathetic-looking tulip packs (in packs of two?? Who buys tulips in packs of two??) And was just about to leave when something caught my eye..... packs of Lycoris radiata, 3 healthy looking bulbs per pack!!!! I could hardly believe my luck. I have NEVER seen them for sale in Tasmania before, and all the bulb catalogues I get from the mainland aren't able to send Lycoris to Tasmania for quarantine reasons. So I quickly grabbed two packets before the bulbs somehow magically disappeared. 6 bulbs, perfect!! And then, I looked up and, to my utter disbelief there was two whole rows of Lycoris aurea right there!!! in packs of 2, nice healthy bulbs. I almost squealed with joy as I pulled two packs down!!! Could this really be true?? Two of my most sought-after species in one day??? I have two more hours of lectures today, but when I get home thee are going straight into the garden!! Possibly actually in pots for their first year though.

Has anyone found their plant equivalent of the holy grail recently? If so, tell use your stories!!

Cheers,

Lauren
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

[Maggi Young]

Hi, Lauren, welcome back! Glad to hear you are not spending ALL your time on your studies... it is important to have a balanced lifestyle , you know, with lots of visits to garden centres and nurseries to even up the intensive Uni work!!

[johnw]

On the subject of Lycoris radiata. In 1974 or 1975 I ordered a dozen Lycoris radiata bulbs from Park Seeds in the Carolinas. They have been growing strongly in pots ever since. Now 34 years laters I have to confess I have never had a single flower.  About 10 or more years ago I mentioned this to Brian Matthews and he said he had the same experience in England.  He suggested I try growing it as hot as possible so it went up on a top shelf in the greenhouse. Still no flowers.

I wonder with the UK warming up of late if anyone has flowered it indoors or out.

None of the other species has ever flowered, not even the hardy L. squamigera.

johnw 

[David Nicholson]

I envy your patience John. If that had been me they would have been in the bin years ago

[Maggi Young]

I know where John gets his patience from... he loves rhododendrons  ..... one has to have patience to wait for some of those babies to flower     That being said, if I have to wait 34 years for my R. auriculatum to flower (waiting about 25 years or so now) then I WILL get  really ratty!

[art600]

Since I had never heard of Lycoris radiata, I googled it.

Thought you might like to see the notes on culture:

Culture
Hurricane lilies are easy to grow. Just plant one bulb almost anywhere in your landscape and it will come up year after year, splitting itself into additional bulbs. Every couple of years dig up the bulbs and divide them.

Native to China and Japan; now widely naturalized in the southeastern United States.

Sounds almost like a worthy weed in the US

[Maggi Young]

Goodness me, Arthur.... with that description it's a wonder we're not all up to our knees in them! Wonder where we went wrong??    Lack of hurricanes, I suppose 

[johnw]

I envy your patience John. If that had been me they would have been in the bin years ago

David et al  - I spent  alot of time in Virginia back then and these bulbs would suddenly shoot up after an August rain. Once seen never forgotten. And they did spread like mad in a very hot garden (but then so do the impossible-to-flower-in-the-garden Zephyranthes).  Those long stamens were so lovely.

The shot was taken in Japan growing ditchside, photo by Takehiko Hoshi.

I just want to see them again (without that godawful heat). If I weren't growing heat haters in the greenhouse I suppose I could close the door in May and cook them for a few months.

[Maggi Young]

.....was taken in Japan and they were growing ditchside.

Lovely! They're like puppies.... much better  seen in quantity !!  

[Paul T]

I was delighted to get some flowers on L. radiata this year.  A real joy.

Maggi, thanks so much for fixing that typo.  Had been driving me batty.