Naked Ladies!

[KyushuCalanthe]

...well, not exactly, but...

It is blooming season for Lycoris radiata again here in southern Japan. This is one of my favorite fall flowering bulbs - it always blooms right on time for the autumnal equinox. One funny name for the genus is naked ladies since the plants flower when the leaves are dormant - also giving them the name surprise lily. Last Sunday my wife, our friend, and I went to a local valley to see them doing their thing. Here's a pic:

And the video:

Naked ladies in their habitat

 

[emydura]

Dazzling colour. It sure draws the eye in.

I remember reading a taxonomic book that discussed the disadvantage of using common names. It said "naked ladies" means different things to different people. Obviously to us it means beauitful flowers.

 

[naoki]

Nice video! I have a memory of playing with them along the rice field when I was little. I haven't seen them for more than 20 years, and I enjoyed your video. It also reminded me that my grand father didn't like this flower because it is related to "death". I didn't know that the white one is a natural hybrid. You said that the white one is endemic to Kyushu, but I have a vague memory of seeing it (very rare) in Kagawa. But this is way before I was interested in plants, so I might be wrong.

 

[NYEric]

You have no idea how disappointed I am.

 

[SlipperFan]

Gorgeous photo, Tom!

 

[abax]

I've never seen the red ones and they're wonderful. All
I've ever seen in this area are the pink ones and they're just not all that pretty.

 

[Dido]

I was first wondering if I am on the right side.....

 

[Clark]

Great lipstick for a landscape!

 

[Ditto]

Great Subject line and picture

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Nice video! I have a memory of playing with them along the rice field when I was little. I haven't seen them for more than 20 years, and I enjoyed your video. It also reminded me that my grand father didn't like this flower because it is related to "death". I didn't know that the white one is a natural hybrid. You said that the white one is endemic to Kyushu, but I have a vague memory of seeing it (very rare) in Kagawa. But this is way before I was interested in plants, so I might be wrong.

Naoki, I've found lots of older folks have that reaction to this plant - it is too red and gives them the willies. Younger generations have no such reaction. The old ways of Japan are on their last legs. Most folks don't know much about past traditions, even when they practice them.

L. x albiflora is grown throughout Japan and probably China as well. It's origin is thought to be Kyushu however, along with the equally odd L. elisae - another probable hybrid, but much less known.

To me "naked lady" will always conjure one image up no matter where I live :rollhappy:

 

[biothanasis]

Gorgeous! thanks for the video! My gf says they remind her of her grandmother.... This species (L. radiata) seems to be all over Japan?

Tom, do you know how long does it take for them to get from seedling to blooming size? I got some small bulbs on Feb-March and they start making leaves now...lol...

Also what are the pinkish inflorescences shown at a moment growing along with L. radiata?

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Thanasis, this plant is found anywhere in Japan where summers are warm enough for it. If winters aren't too severe you can grow it if summers are warm - it is problematic for cool summer climates such as the UK, or the Pacific coast in America. This species has pretty small bulbs that clump readily. Resist dividing them since they will flower better. The typical form of L. radiata is a sterile triploid and cannot be propagated from seed - your bulbs are probably offsets. The leaves are summer dormant, so it is normal for them to grow now. Check out the article I wrote about them to get all the "dirt" on them: Lycoris radiata

About the other plant in the vid, it looks like Agastache rugosa, called Korean hyssop or Korean mint in English. It is in the mint family and a medicinal plant in Chinese medicine.

 

[biothanasis]

Thanks Tom

 

[nikv]

I have Lycoris squamigera growing in my garden. It just finished blooming. A very reliable plant for a California garden.