Spider Lily ‘Yellow’ Bulbs – Lycoris aurea

Colour:

Lycoris bulbs in golden yellow — the flower that appears on a bare stem in late summer, weeks before a single leaf shows. Plant the bulbs in August and you get flowers in three to four weeks; the strap-shaped foliage follows in autumn and feeds the bulb for next year. Gardeners call them spider lilies, surprise lilies and ‘naked ladies’ for exactly this trick.

Why grow yellow spider lily (Lycoris aurea)?

• Flowers with no leaves. The blooms rise on naked stems — nothing else in the late-summer garden looks like it.
• Impossibly easy. Plant once, water once. Lycoris want neglect; wet soil is the only thing that kills them.
• Deer, rabbit and vole proof. The bulbs are toxic, so nothing digs them up.
• Multiplies on its own. Each bulb offsets new ones every season — a pack of 3 becomes a drift in three or four years.
• Late colour when you need it. Blooms in August–September, when most spring bulbs are long finished.

What is in the pack

You choose the size: 3, 5, 8, 10 or 15 bulbs. Every bulb is a flowering-size, field-grown bulb (not a seedling offset), graded by hand and shipped dry — exactly how Lycoris want to travel. No soil, no containers, no mystery.

How to plant spider lily bulbs

1. When: plant in late summer to early autumn — August is ideal, and they often flower the same season.
2. Depth: 10–12 cm (4–5 in) deep, pointed end up, 15–20 cm apart.
3. Position: full sun to light shade. They flower best with at least half a day of direct sun.
4. Soil: any free-draining soil. On heavy clay, plant on a slight mound or add grit.
5. After planting: water once and then leave them alone until you see the flower spike.

When will they flower?

Late August into September, usually two to four weeks after planting. The flower spike appears first and opens over three or four days; the leaves arrive in October and stay green through winter in mild climates. In colder zones (5–7) mulch lightly in the first winter.

Care and feeding

Almost none, which is the point. Water during a long dry spell in the first season only. Do not cut the foliage while it is green — that is the bulb building next year’s flower. Lift and divide only when a clump becomes crowded, roughly every five to seven years, straight after flowering.

Common questions

More colours

• Spider Lily ‘Red’ Bulbs
• Spider Lily ‘Pink’ Bulbs
• Spider Lily ‘White’ Bulbs
• Spider Lily ‘Orange’ Bulbs

Also worth a look: our amaryllis bulbs for winter flowers indoors and our bearded iris for late spring. New to bulbs? Start with when to plant flower bulbs.