Lycoris sanguinea var. kiusiana

We are pleased to share another of the wonderful August-flowering surprise lilies. The short lily-like leaves of Lycoris sanguinea var. kiusiana appear in late winter/early spring and go dormant by early summer. In midsummer, 1' tall stems appear seemingly overnight and the flowers burst forth like a giant orange starburst. A mass of Lycoris sanguinea in the woodland garden is quite stunning. Remember that surprise lilies often take a year or two to settle in before deciding to flower, but summer moisture will greatly enhance summer flowering. Lycoris sanguinea var. kiusiana needs a really cold winter to flower well, so we have not found it to flower reliably in Zone 7b and south.