Lycoris. Progress Report.

Lycoris radiata

 The lycoris radiata leaves are greener.  The lycoris squamigera looks unchanged.  As I would expect.

We've had the first and second frosts.  These leaves look unaffected.

Not much else to do.  Which is just as well.  Feeling sick.

Lycoris squamigera

Lycoris squamigera and Lycoris radiata

Lycoris squamigera (Wikimedia commons)

Lycoris squamigera bulbs

 I think this is the 4th time I've tried to start Lycoris plants.  Prior attempts were not successful.  In some cases, there were leaves for the first one or 2 years, then nothing.  Never a flower.

Old House Gardens had them on close out sale, so I ordered a few of the traditional "Surprise Lily" Lycoris squamigera, and a few of the red Lycoris radiata.

I don't know why I couldn't get them to grow.  Prior instructions may have been incorrect.  In the past, instructions stated bury the bulbs like daffodil bulbs.  These instructions, and some I've seen on the web, state plant them up to their shoulders.

I would like to grow these.  Especially the L. squamigera, which grew easily in my home town, when I was a boy.  My great aunts gave us starts of them, my grandfather had them, and my dad had them.  They multiplied, and they just dug them up, divided them, and planted them in their lawns.

According to the instructions, both varieties resent being moved and may require at least 2 years to bloom.  That's OK with me, if I can just get them to grow.

This time I will try containers.  Sometimes I have luck in containers for plants that don't do well for me in the ground.  Plus, this being so late in the year, they might benefit from being moved inside if a hard freeze is expected.  That should not be a problem for L. squamigera, which grew fine in Illinois, but they have not had time to establish yet.

Lycoris radiata (Wikimedia commons)

Lycoris radiata bulbs

 The flower pictures are edited from WIkimedia commons.

The L. radiata have already out out significant growth.  Planting up to the shoulders, the leaves are above soil surface.  There is no bright sunshine now, so I don't think they will sunburn. 

Planted in containers, Nov 1 2013

Lycoris squamigera istructions

Lycoris radiata instructions

I added mycorhizal inoculant to both sets of bulbs.  I don't know if it will help.  Maybe.