it's called 'lycoris radiata'...

There are these pretty fall-blooming bulbs that I really like, and have had so many planted over the years, apparently I have indoctrinated daughters to be equally fond of them. The bloom time is fairly short, and the bulbs seem to be programmed so they all open up at the same time. I've been seeing them all my life:  my dad had them blooming in his yard in south GA when I was a kid. If you look them up someplace that sells bulbs (the world at your fingertips on the internet!)  you will see that they exist someplace in yellow, but all I have in my yard are the bright red ones.


I think the first ones I planted in my yard, at least twenty years ago, came out of the Market Bulletin, from farm wives living in little rural communities up in the far corners of north GA., places like: Rising Fawn, Ball Ground, Podiddy Crossroads, Hephizabah. And occasionally returning the favor to those vanishing communities, when I've dug bulbs after they multiply over the years. Making an effort to diligently relocate and spread the 'spider lily gospel. Occasionally advertising bulbs for sale in that same GA. Dept. of Ag. bi-weekly newsletter, and on Craig's list, where I have sold numerous dozens.



Also, when they bought houses in N. GA and TN, I wanted to pass along the progeny of the ones I planted years ago, so the bulbs have travelled with me to end up brightly blooming in Decatur and Chattanooga. I even took some to a family reunion in east GA, and added them to the raffle. This is a remarkably efficient money-maker, where everything is donated (so there is no upfront cost involved) and everyone buys tickets, hoping to be the winner for assorted books, plants, baked goods, jars of jelly/pickles cousins have brought in support of the family fun/fund. I hope my donated spider lily bulbs are now happily blooming all across the state in yards of relatives near and far...

I decided, just today, when I got up early and went strolling along St. Elmo Street in Chattanooga, to take photos of all the clumps of gloriously colorful spider lily blooms on my walk. They make me smile (and think of my dad), so I hope you too will be smiling, when you see them looking so happy.