Spider Lily (Lycoris radiata): The “Naked Lady” Bulb That Blooms Without Leaves

A Late-Summer Surprise in the Lawn

The delicate, spidery red flowers appearing on leafless stems in mid-September to October are Spider Lilies (Lycoris radiata), also called “Naked Ladies” or “Surprise Lilies.”

Life Cycle

• Flowers emerge first (leafless), then die back.
• Strap-like leaves appear afterward, persist through winter/spring.
• Bulbs are toxic—unlikely eaten by opossums.

Transplanting Tip

If relocation needed, wait until leaves yellow in late spring. Moving while in bloom or leafless may prevent next year’s flowers.

Other cultivars exist in pink, yellow, orange.

— Identified by Susan