Lycoris longituba

Another unusual species of suddenly-the-earth-smiles, free clumping with strappy, white-centered leaves and white flowers, tubular as the name would imply, often appearing in late summer and autumn. For full sun to lightly dappled shade. They do enjoy occasional summer water for vigorous growth though tolerant of summer and winter drought. Frost hardy in USDA zone 7B.

Once the darling of a few collectors, Lycoris Longituba is now attainable because of the recent expansion of trade with China. It is a spring foliage type and therefore should be cold-hardy at least to zone 6. Its native habitat is the moist, wooded slopes of Eastern China. It has classic trumpet shaped flowers with a hint of pink. The exact color is somewhat variable depending on growing conditions and the genetic expression of the particular bulb you get. Blooms in late summer. Although tollerant of dry periods, it does best with regular moisture. As with all Lycoris, I recommend that you plant shallowly, with the top of the bulb close to the surface. The top will remain dormant until spring, but planting earlier will give a chance for roots to establish themselves. We sell large blooming size bulbs, aproximately 14 cm around but subject to some variation depending on what we dig up. Although we take care to send the freshest bulbs possible, it is common for Lycoris to sulk for a year or so after transplanting before blooming in late summer. This is a particularly tough species even among a family of tough plants.