Surprise! It’s a lily

 

When I first saw our surprise lilies, I had no idea what was growing near the back porch. The lovely pink blooms seemed to appear overnight out of nowhere.

Lycoris Squamigera — surprise lily, magic lily, or resurrection lily — grows its leaves in the spring, when it blends in with every other little bit of green growing. The leaves die back in the heat, and when the pink flowers bloom in July or August, there’s no evidence of a plant to support the stalks.

It’s a pretty plant, and while its beauty if fleeting, it’s a nice surprise on a hot summer day.

(click on any picture to see it larger)

 

*** This site is comprised solely of the opinions of its author, Stacey Morgan Smith. She works to promote gardening and tourism in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, from Roanoke to the Potomac River.***