Surprise Lily (Lycoris squamigera) in the Surprise Lilies (Lycoris) Database

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 5b -26.1 °C (-15 °F) to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
Plant Height:	18 to 24 inches (46-61cm)
Plant Spread:	18 to 24 inches (46-61cm)
Flowers:	Showy Fragrant
Flower Color:	Pink
Flower Time:	Late summer or early fall
Underground structures:	Bulb
Uses:	Cut Flower Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies Hummingbirds
Resistances:	Deer Resistant Rabbit Resistant
Toxicity:	Other: All parts of Lycoris are poisonous
Propagation: Seeds:	Other info: Some lycoris produce fertile seed and some do not. Hybrid plants may not produce fertile seed or the seedlings may not resemble the parent.
Propagation: Other methods:	Offsets Bulbs Other: Plant the neck of bulbs just below ground surface. Plant 3-5 bulbs per sq. ft. in well-drained soil. Bulbs do not like transplanting and can take a year to settle in, so it's good to select a permanent home for them.
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Miscellaneous:	Goes Dormant

Common names

Surprise Lily
Naked Lady
Resurrection Lily
Magic Lily
Hardy Amaryllis

Photo Gallery

Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2018-08-06

Uploaded by Gerris2

Location: Western Kentucky
Date: August 2011
Growing in the shade of a cedar tree

Uploaded by Sharon

Location: In my garden in Oklahoma City, OK
Date: 2001-08-07
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Uploaded by jathton

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-08-13

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: my garden in MD
Date: 2023-08-07
I love the bright "true blue" at the ends of the petals. What a s

Uploaded by critterologist

Location: Elberfeld, Indiana
Date: 2014-07-31

Uploaded by blue23rose

Uploaded by Fleur569

Location: Zone 5
Date: 2020-08-09
A leafless stem blooms profusely in August.

Uploaded by Fleur569

Uploaded by lovemyhouse

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Date: 2017-02-07
Note the unusual bloom in the centre with eight petals!

Uploaded by Australis

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2021-07-22

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: My Garden in Janesville, WI
Date: 2015-08-18

Uploaded by tveguy3

Uploaded by Fleur569

Location: my garden in MD
Date: 2023-08-07

Uploaded by critterologist

Uploaded by blue23rose

Uploaded by Lucichar

Some of my Lycoris squamigera show a blue tint when they first op

Uploaded by Mieko2

Location: my yard
Date: 2019-07-26
Ladies dancing around my tree

Uploaded by dragonlace

Location: my Zone 7b garden in North Georgia Mountains
Date: 2023-02-16

Uploaded by LoriMT

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: Apple Valley MN
Date: 2017-08-17

Uploaded by crawgarden

Uploaded by critterologist

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-08-08
emerging

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Elberfeld, Indiana
Date: 2018-08-04

Uploaded by blue23rose

Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: 2014-07-28

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by Fleur569

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-04-20

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by LoriMT

Uploaded by tveguy3

Location: Hood, Alabama
Date: 2022-07-25

Uploaded by HoodLily

Uploaded by Gerris2

Location: my garden in Frederick, MD
Date: 2012-07-28
First bloom! That's not a shadow on the bottom petal... there r

Uploaded by critterologist

Location: Menton, France
Date: 2016-09-19

Uploaded by cliftoncat

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2022-03-22
mound of lush leaves grow throughout winter, then disappear in la

Uploaded by LoriMT

Uploaded by lauribob

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-08-01

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: My garden, Willow Valley Communities, Lakes Campus, Willow Street, Pennsylvania USA
Date: 2019-08-13
Note: foliage in the background is Artemesia Powis Castle.

Uploaded by csandt

Location: all photos from my gardens
Date: 2018-07-15

Uploaded by pinkiris

Location: Ed Burton, NE Wisconsin
Date: 2005-08-09

Uploaded by EdBurton

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2022-07-28

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: Point Mugu State Park, California
Date: 2014-03-14
Naturalized at an old homesite, southern California

Uploaded by Kelli

Location: Northeastern Colorado
Date: 2022-08-26

Uploaded by colcol

Location: my Zone 7b garden in North Georgia Mountains
Date: 2023-07-21

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: my front yard
Date: 2013-08-12

Uploaded by doglover

Uploaded by IAgrl

Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Nicely fragrant too

Uploaded by Gerris2

Uploaded by Fleur569

Location: DISCLAIMER: This is an old photo from an old phone. I don't know why, but the photos look "deep fried". sorry about that.

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Willow Valley Communities, Willow Street, Pennsylvania
Date: 2022-08-08

Uploaded by csandt

Location: central Illinois
Date: 8-13-11

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by Anndixon

Location: all photos from my gardens
Date: 2021-07-21

Uploaded by pinkiris

Uploaded by 4susiesjoy

Uploaded by pinkiris

Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-03-19

Uploaded by chelle

Location: central Illinois
Date: August 2009

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: My Gardens
Date: August 12, 2013
Planted With Mixed Perennials

Uploaded by TBGDN

Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b.
Date: 2010-07-29
Used here along the drive, sharing space with spring daffodils an

Uploaded by chelle

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-07-29

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by lovemyhouse

Uploaded by lovemyhouse

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Hood, Alabama
Date: 2022-08-04

Uploaded by HoodLily

Location: Hood, Alabama
Date: 2023-02-13

Uploaded by HoodLily

Uploaded by Gerris2

Location: Wisconsin
Date: August 6, 2012
camera was under the plants, facing the sky

Uploaded by petruske

Uploaded by Zebraduck

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-08-07
note the Hummingbird Moth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-08-08

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by lovemyhouse

Location: Our yard, Hot Springs Village, AR
Date: 2014-07-23

Uploaded by rocklady

Location: Our yard, Hot Springs Village, AR
Date: 2014-07-30

Uploaded by rocklady

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: 2014-07-29

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by 4susiesjoy

Location: central Illinois
Date: summer
Flying Dragon

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-08-04

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 8-6-2011

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-08-07

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Indiana zone 5
Date: 2016-02-23

Uploaded by gardengus

Location: Little Rock, AR
Date: 2018-03-16
Foliage in spring

Uploaded by Buzzbea424

$Location: Tennessee Date: 2012-02-28 \"Surprise\" Lily leaves emerging during a warm winter$

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2012-02-22

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by MaryDurtschi

Location: Lucketts, Loudoun County, Virginia
Date: 2014-08-09

Uploaded by greenthumb99

Location: Our Yard, near Central Iowa
Date: 2009-08-13

Uploaded by Chillybean

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: garden of botanist Robert R. Kowal in Madison, Wisconsin
Date: August 9, 2009
photo by James Steakley

Uploaded by robertduval14

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by gardengus (Indiana Zone 5b) on May 17, 2014 10:27 AM concerning plant:

An old favorite in my grandmother's garden, they are called surprise lilies because the green foliage goes dormant after an early spring show, and then the flower stalks appear in summer. Also called Naked ladies because the flower stalks appear without any leaves.
These look great among hostas. The hostas cover the dying leaves, and the pink flowers of the surprise lilies shooting through the hostas look like pink flowering hostas.
A no-care plant, the bulbs multiply nicely, but they do not seem to need to be thinned. I have had clumps in the same place for 20+ years.

Reply to this comment
Posted by LoriMT (Dawsonville, GA - Zone 8a) on Jan 7, 2022 6:56 AM concerning plant:

Lycoris squamigera and Amaryllis belladonna can be easily confused. L. squamigera has a green inflorescence stalk, versus a dark stalk on A. Belladonna.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Chillybean (Iowa - Zone 5a) on Aug 19, 2015 9:05 AM concerning plant:

I prefer the common name Resurrection Lily for this plant. As a Christian, I believe this has significance to me. I have only known it by this name, so was surprised at the other name when I saw this plant come up on one of the Randoms.

When we moved into our current home, this was one of the surprises growing here. We saw the leaves in the spring, but they died down. We did not really think about it since we were not into gardening at the time. Later was the real surprise. They are a very pretty flower.

The last two or three years, the greens have been coming up thick as usual, but we've had no flowers. Because of their location, the area doesn't get mowed much. Maybe this is why?? We've never fed this or most other plants, except for what is food for our table. This could be another reason.

Our usual habit is to dig up alien ornamentals and replace them with something native. For one, I haven't thought of what might go well there. Two, for an ornamental, it is said they attract a variety of pollinators. It has use for wild life. Three, it may resurrect once again.

Reply to this comment
Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on Nov 17, 2011 3:05 PM concerning plant:

Temperamental about being transplanted; may not present until 2nd year. Very reliable thence forward.
Hummingbird moths frequent at dusk.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
jmorth	On July 25, 2016	Bloomed
jmorth	On July 26, 2014	Bloomed
Australis	On November 19, 2023	Transplanted Moved to a better spot as it took a long time to send up leaves and was in leaf for a shorter period than my other Lycoris.
Australis	On January 31, 2023	Transplanted Planted in the front garden.
Australis	On January 30, 2023	Obtained plant Purchased from Tonkin's Bulbs.
Australis	On December 24, 2022	Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc) Unfortunately died at some point in the last couple of years; noticed it didn't return in 2022.
Australis	From February 2, 2017 to February 12, 2017	Bloomed
Australis	On January 26, 2017	Potted up
Australis	On January 25, 2017	Obtained plant Purchased from Tonkin's Bulbs.
aspenhill	On April 15, 2017	Obtained plant Barbara Griffith - qty lot
MrsBinWY	On August 16, 2021	Transplanted On 8-15-2021, planted 11 bulbs from the bulb I chipped in December 2019. Placed in front of Verbesina alternifolia in side yard. Backfilled with the potting mix they were in, then native soil to cover the necks of the bulbs, then a thin layer of worm compost, more native soil, then a good sprinkle of alfalfa pellets. Will finish backfilling when the foliage dies back. Tops of bulbs are 6" deep or so.
MrsBinWY	On December 9, 2019	Miscellaneous Event Chipped bulb purchased from McClure & Zimmerman into four quarters. As of 11-26-20, there are nine sturdy plantlets with two to four leaves.
DeweyRooter	On February 1, 2023	Plant emerged
DeweyRooter	On September 5, 2022	Transplanted Planted in pet memorial bed.
DeweyRooter	On August 5, 2022	Obtained plant Received bulbs from Lori.

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Untitled by bsharf	Aug 16, 2020 9:18 AM	1
Lycoris squamigera by purpleinopp	Jul 29, 2021 5:24 PM	1
Lycoris squamigera by purpleinopp	Aug 14, 2021 1:48 PM	4
I believe this is Lycoris squamigera. by purpleinopp	Jul 29, 2021 3:38 PM	3
I believe your beautiful bulbs are Lycoris squamigera by purpleinopp	Jan 6, 2022 4:41 PM	2
Are you sure about this id? by Australis	Feb 24, 2024 11:51 PM	11

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Surprise Lilies (Lycoris) Surprise Lily (Lycoris squamigera)

Surprise Lilies (Lycoris)

Surprise Lily (Lycoris squamigera)