Late summer is the time that hurricane lilies begin popping up in Florida landscapes. Southerners have other common names for these almost magical flowers, including surprise lily, magic lily, resurrection lily, red spider lily, and naked lady.
What makes hurricane lilies interesting is that the flowers appear on their own, unfettered by foliage. The foliage appears in fall and persists through winter, dying back during summer’s heat. The flowers appear in late summer, usually after a heavy rain, hence the name “hurricane lily.”
Varieties
The most common hurricane lily in Florida is Lycoris radiata var. radiata, also known as red spider lily. The plant produces airy clusters of red flowers with whisker-like stamens on top of naked stems that will grow up to 18 inches tall.
Each bulb can produce one to four flower stems, and each cluster of flowers will last about two weeks if protected from wind and sun. The shape and color of the flowers makes them popular with butterflies.
