Red spider lily is a bulbous perennial native to China, Korea and Nepal. It is member of the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae) that also includes agapanthus, daffodils, and garlic. The deep red trumpet-like flowers are 1 ½ to 2” long and appear in umbels of four to six flowers on naked scapes one to two feet tall in late summer to early fall before the leaves. They have six reflexed tepas and long stamens that create a spidery appearance. The strap-like leaves emerge in the fall after the flowers have bloomed and persist through the winter. They are four to eight inches long and ¼” wide.
Type: Bulbous perennial
Bloom: Umbels of red flowers with six reflexted tepals and long stamens
Size: 12-24” h x 12” W
Light: Part shade to full sun
Soil: Fertile, moderately moist, well-drained
Hardiness: Zones 7-10
Care: Plant bulbs six inches deep in fall and over-plant with annuals during the summer.
Pests and Diseases: None of significance
Propagation: Bulbs will form colonies by offsets; divide and replant after flowering.
Companion plants: Asters, mums, phlox, ornamental grasses
var. alba (white flowers)