Oxblood Lily (Schoolhouse Lily): A Southern Heirloom

Oxblood lily (Rhodophiala bifida), also called schoolhouse lily, is a tough, heirloom bulb that blooms in late summer to fall with vivid red, trumpet-shaped flowers. Introduced to Texas by German settlers, it naturalizes readily in Southern gardens, thriving in heat, drought, and poor soil. The foliage emerges in fall, persists through winter, and dies back by late spring—just before the flower stalks appear “naked” in September.

Growing Tips

• Plant bulbs in fall, 3–4″ deep, in well-drained soil.
• Full sun to part shade.
• Water during active growth; keep dry during summer dormancy.
• Divide clumps every few years in late spring.

Arty Schronce of the Georgia Department of Agriculture shares this gem as a low-maintenance, high-impact addition to any Southern garden.