It’s lycoris time at JLBG, as we’re just wrapping up the early part of the flowering season (July 15-August 10). Most of the early blooming surprise lilies are the spring-foliaged species and hybrids. Typically, there are only a few of the fall-foliaged selections that flower during this early period. Sadly, most gardeners have only grown two different surprise lilies, the spring-foliaged Lycoris x squamigera and the fall-foliaged Lycoris radiata. Below are a few of our 1,100 different clones that flower in the first part of the July-October season.
Lycoris trial beds at JLBG
Lycoris chinensis is a spring-foliaged species that typically comes in colors from gold to orange.
Lycoris longituba is the tallest of the spring-foliage species, and comes in an array of colors, although pure white is most common. In the wild, the colors can range from yellow to light lavender.
Lycoris sprengeri is another spring-foliaged Chinese species. The flower color is pink and blue, with different clones having either more blue or more pink. The stalk height can also vary from 20″ to 28″
Lycoris x caldwellii is a spring-foliaged hybrid between Lycoris chinensis and Lycoris longituba. Most of our clones of this cross flower much later.
Lycoris x flaveri (unpublished name) is a three way hybrid of three spring-foliaged species; Lycoris chinensis, Lycoris sprengeri, and Lycoris sanguinea.
Lycoris x incarnata is a hybrid of two spring-leaved species, Lycoris sprengeri x Lycoris longituba. The three images below show the variation in offspring from the cross.
Lycoris x incarniensis (unpublished name) is a hybrid of three spring-leaved species, Lycoris longituba, Lycoris sprengeri, and Lycoris chinensis.
Lycoris x jinzheniae is a hybrid of two spring-leaved species; Lycoris chinensis and Lycoris sprengeri. Below shows the range of colors from this hybrid.
Lycoris x rosea is a group of hybrids of the fall-foliaged Lycoris radiata and the spring-foliaged Lycoris sprengeri. The foliage of this hybrid emerges in fall, so it’s not typically winter hardy north of Zone 6b/7a. This is one of the few clones that flowers prior to mid-August.
Lycoris x sprenguinea (unpublished name) is a group of hybrids between two spring-foliaged species, Lycoris sanguinea and Lycoris sprengeri. We have seen very little color variation in clones of this hybrid.
Thank you for all the splendid photos of these stunning flowers. Opening your emails is the best part of my day.