• Photo of Lycoris squamigera (Lycoris squamigeras)

Plant Profile: Lycoris squamigera

Taxonomy: Lycoris squamigera

Names

Magic Lily, Ressurection Lily, Resurrection Lily, Surprise Lily

  • Photo of Lycoris squamigera (Lycoris squamigeras)

Phonetic Spelling:LY-kor-iss skwah-mih-JER-uh

Genus:Lycoris

Species:squamigera

Family:Amaryllidaceae

The Resurrection Lily, a perennial bulb belonging to the Amaryllis family, stands out as one of the most resilient members of its group. In spring, its foliage appears but withers away before the enchanting, fragrant flowers—rose-pink and funnel-shaped—magically rise on tall stems from the ground in late summer through fall.

For planting, bulbs should be placed 8 to 12 inches deep and spaced 6 inches apart. This plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. During its dormant period, water sparingly, and provide moderate moisture while it is actively growing. It is best to avoid transplanting, as the Resurrection Lily is sensitive to disturbance; a good layer of mulch is recommended for winter protection.

This plant is classified as semi-hardy, with potential damage occurring below 28ºF, and hardy, sustaining injury at temperatures below 5ºF.

Lycoris squamigera Feature Summary

Lycoris squamigera Image Gallery

Tags

#bulb
#poisonous
#full sun tolerant
#fall flowers
#pink flowers
#partial sun
#summer flowers
#deer resistant
#summer bulbs
#fall bulbs
#rock gardens
#naturalized area
#container plants

Similar Plants

Lycoris squamigera is often confused with:

Lycoris squamigera Feature Summary

Attributes
Flowers
3-inch fragrant flowers are rose-pink with purplish veins and funnel-shaped that appear on 2-foot naked stems in late summer to fall. They bloom in groups of 6-8 and have 6 recurved slightly wavy petals and are slightly nodding.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
6 petals/rays
3-6 inches
Leaves
Up to 12 inches long and 1-inch wide gray-green to blue-green strap-like leaves in a basal arrangement appears in the spring, then dies back in summer before the blooms appear.
> 6 inches
< 1 inch
Poisonous to Humans
CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. Abdominal pain, salivation, shivering, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Lycorine, an alkaloid
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Herbaceous Perennial
Poisonous
Bulb
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Less than 12 inches
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Cottage Garden
Border
Small groups
Specimen
Container
Woodland
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Poisonous to Humans

Lycoris squamigera Attributes

Lycoris squamigera: Country Or Region Of Origin

Asia

Lycoris squamigera: Wildlife Value

Deer resistant

Lycoris squamigera: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Lycoris squamigera Flowers

Lycoris squamigera: Flower Description

3-inch fragrant flowers are rose-pink with purplish veins and funnel-shaped that appear on 2-foot naked stems in late summer to fall. They bloom in groups of 6-8 and have 6 recurved slightly wavy petals and are slightly nodding.

Lycoris squamigera: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender

Lycoris squamigera: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Lycoris squamigera: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Lycoris squamigera: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Lycoris squamigera: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Lycoris squamigera: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Lycoris squamigera: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Lycoris squamigera Leaves

Lycoris squamigera: Leaf Description

Up to 12 inches long and 1-inch wide gray-green to blue-green strap-like leaves in a basal arrangement appears in the spring, then dies back in summer before the blooms appear.

Lycoris squamigera: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Lycoris squamigera: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Lycoris squamigera: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Lycoris squamigera: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Lycoris squamigera: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Lycoris squamigera: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Lycoris squamigera: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Lycoris squamigera: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Lycoris squamigera: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Lycoris squamigera: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Lycoris squamigera Poisonous to Humans

Lycoris squamigera: Poison Symptoms

CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. Abdominal pain, salivation, shivering, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Lycoris squamigera: Poison Toxic Principle

Lycorine, an alkaloid

Lycoris squamigera: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Lycoris squamigera: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Lycoris squamigera: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Lycoris squamigera Whole Plant Traits

Lycoris squamigera: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Lycoris squamigera: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Lycoris squamigera: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Lycoris squamigera: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Lycoris squamigera Cultural Conditions

Lycoris squamigera: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Lycoris squamigera: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Lycoris squamigera: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Lycoris squamigera: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Lycoris squamigera: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Lycoris squamigera: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a

Lycoris squamigera: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Lycoris squamigera Stem

Lycoris squamigera: Stem Color

grass
Green

Lycoris squamigera: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Lycoris squamigera Landscape

Lycoris squamigera: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Lycoris squamigera: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Lycoris squamigera: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Lycoris squamigera: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Lycoris squamigera: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Lycoris squamigera: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy