Lycoris (Surprise Lily, Hurricane Lily)

Juniper Level Botanic Garden - An Ex-Situ Conservation Garden

Our Mission is to Collect, Study, Propagate, and Share

As of 2020, JLBG has just over 27,000 taxa of living plants. At Juniper Level Botanic Garden, part of our mission is to educate and share both plants and information. This photo/informational gallery is devoted to cataloging as many forms as possible. It is our hope that this photographic study gallery can also prevent duplicate use of names and prevent confusion in the trade.

Lycoris (Surprise Lily, Hurricane Lily, Spider Lily) have long been a geophyte of interest, and since our climate is perfect for their growth, we are attempting to assemble a complete lycoris collection, and sort out some of the taxonomic misinformation, as well as to make many unavailable clones available to more gardeners. Here at JLBG, we currently grow all of the Lycoris species and over 1100 unique clones, making this most likely the largest lycoris collection in the world.

Based on the extensive body of DNA research, and confirmed in our field trials, there are most likely only 6 lycoris species…a far cry from the 13-20 often cited. Lycoris traubii is still debated as being a subspecies of L. aurea and L. shaanxiensis could possibly be valid.

Two of the lycoris species have foliage that emerges in fall, and five have foliage that emerges in late winter/early spring. Because all lycoris are winter-growing, the foliage emergence times determines their ability to withstand winter cold. Regions with extremely cold temperatures that start in very early fall and remain cold may actually delay foliage emergence, making the fall foliage lycoris survive better in regions with fluctuating winter temperatures.

Typically, lycoris species with fall-emerging leaves are winter-hardy to Zone 7….some clones slightly more, some slightly less.

Fall emerging foliage Lycoris species (zone 7 and warmer)

Lycoris aurea - golden yellow flowers (China)
Lycoris radiata - red/scarlet flowers (China)
Lycoris traubii - golden yellow flowers (many authors treat this a simply a variety of subspecies of L. aurea). Many other don't consider the characteistics that are different to be worthy enough to be a new species. (Taiwan)

Lycoris species with spring-emerging leaves are generally winter-hardy to Zone 5, possibly colder

Spring Foliage (Zone 5)

Lycoris chinensis - golden yellow flowers (China)
Lycoris longituba - white with occasional yellow or pink blushing (China)
Lycoris sanguinea - orange (China, Korea, Japan)
Lycoris sprengeri - pink with blue tips (China)
Lycoris shaanxiensis - pink and white stripes - virtually all plants in commerce have fall foliage and as such are incorrectly named. Photos of the true plant appear to actually represent a valid taxa, but we have yet to observe these in person. (China)

Lycoris Hybrids

All other lycoris are hybrids. Hybrids between two spring-leaf species retains the Zone 5 hardiness, but crosses of a spring-leaf and a fall-leaf species always produces offspring with fall foliage, so the hardiness of these hybrids always reverts to Zone 7. In theory, crosses with two spring species and one fall species could delay leaf emergence enough to increase winter hardiness.

Many of these Lycoris hybrid group names are long established, most originally published as true species, which DNA has since shown to be hybrids. Other names are unpublished and assigned by us as working names for the hybrids we grow.

Fall x Fall leaved hybrids (Zone 7) (foliage emerges here late Sept/mid Oct.)

x albiflora (syn: L. elsiae) – aurea (fall) x radiata (fall) - white-cream/yellow/orange (China)

Spring x Spring leaved hybrids (Zone 4/5) (foliage emerges here Feb/March)

Bispecific hybrids

x caldwellii – chinensis (spring) x longituba (spring)- yellow
x flavescens – (same as x chejuensis) - chinensis (spring) x sanguinea (spring) - yellow orange
x incarnata (same as x squamigera), but may be worth conserving if L. x squamigera is designated as a single clone - light pink with blue flush to near white (China)
x sprenguinea (unpublished) – sprengeri (spring) x sanguinea (spring) - salmon with blue tips
x sprengensis (unpublished) – sprengeri (spring) x chinensis (spring) - cream, yellow with blue/pink buds
x squamigera (same as elegans, incarnata) - – longituba (spring) x sprengeri (spring)
x shaanxiensis (determined by DNA (Cytologia 2018) to be a hybrid of L. chinensis x either L. sprengeri or L. sanguinea) - plants with fall emerging leaves sold under this name are L. x straminea. (China)

Fall leaved x Spring leaved hybrids (Zone 7) (foliage emerges here mid Oct-late Oct)

x chinaurea (unpublished)– aurea (fall) x chinensis (spring) - golden yellow flowers
x cinnabarina – aurea (fall) x sanguinea (spring) - orange flowers
x radguinea - radiata (fall) x sanguinea (spring)
x rosea (same as jacksoniana) – radiata (fall) x sprengeri (spring) - flowers pink with blue tips (China)
x sprengurea – aurea (fall) x sprengeri (spring)- yellow, pink, cream blend
x straminea (syn: houdyshelii) – radiata (fall) x chinensis (spring) - flowers cream,yellow, orange (China)
x rubroaurantiaca – undetermined by DNA

Tri-specific Fall leaved x Spring leaved hybrids (2/3 spring x 1/3 fall)(Zone 7) (foliage typically emerges here in mid-to late December)

x longitosea (unpublished) – longituba (spring) x sprengeri (spring) x radiata (fall) - flowers pink with faint blue markings
x rosguinea (unpublished) – radiata (fall) x sprengeri (spring) x sanguinea (spring)- salmon, orange with blue tips
x rosensis (unpublished) – radiata (fall) x sprengeri (spring) x chinensis (spring) - flowers pink, yellow blend with blue tips

Tri-specific Fall leaved x Spring leaved hybrids (1/3 spring x 2/3 fall)(Zone 7)

x radchinaurea (unpublished) – radiata (fall) x aurea (fall) x chinensis (spring) - flowers yellow, orange
x rosaurea (unpublished) – radiata (fall) x aurea (fall) x sprengeri (spring) - flowers cream, yellow, orange

The following lycoris names are synonyms of earlier-published names

Lycoris africana - synonym of Lycoris aurea
Lycoris anhuiensis - form of Lycoris longituba
Lycoris argentea - synonym of Lycoris sprengeri
Lycoris chejuensis - synonym of Lycoris x flavescens
Lycoris elegans - synonym of Lycoris x incarnata
Lycoris elsiae - synonym of Lycoris x albiflora
Lycoris guangxiensis - Appears to be a synonym of Lycoris chinensis
Lycoris haywardii - synonym of Lycoris sprengeri (southern form) - all plants in the trade under this name are Lycoris x rosea...see gallery images for the type specimen
Lycoris houdyshelii - synonym of Lycoris x straminea
Lycoris hunnanensis - Most likely a fertile form of Lycoris x straminea
Lycoris jacksoniana - synonym of Lycoris x rosea (when back crossed with Lycoris radiata to make 2/3 radiata and 1/3 sprengeri)
Lycoris josephine - synonym of Lycoris radiata var. radiata
Lycoris lajolla - synonym of Lycoris aurea
Lycoris rubroaurantiaca - synonym of either Lycoris x cinnabarina or Lycoris x flavescens
Lycoris sinuolata - form of Lycoris aurea
Lycoris sperryi - synonym of Lycoris aurea
Lycoris terraccianii - synonym of Lycoris radiata
Lycoris traubii - synonym of Lycoris aurea Taiwan form
Lycoris uydoensis - synonym of Lycoris x flavescens
Lycoris washingtoniana - synonym of Lycoris x straminea
Lycoris woodii - synonym of either Lycoris x albiflora or Lycoris x straminea

Early Lycoris Breeding abbreviations

Sam Caldwell, the grandfather of modern lycoris breeding developed a series of codes for his crosses, based on the parents used and which was the pod parent. In crosses, the pod parent (mother) is always listed first. These are helpful because all crosses using the same parents are not the same. A F1 (first generation) cross of Lycoris sprengeri x radiata will all look fairly similar, but when the F1 is crossed back onto Lycoris radiata a second time, the offspring has a much redder flower. The more generations a breeder continues with the same parents (line breeding), the better chance of coming up with something unique.

A few of Sam's abbreviations are listed below

hay = haywardii, which now is Lycoris sprengeri 'Haywardii'
jax = jacksoniana, which is Lycoris radiata x sprengeri x radiata
ra= radiata
san= sanguinea
sper = sperryi, which is simply Lycoris chinensis

hay-ra = x rosea (sprengeri x radiata)
hay-san = x sprenguinea (sprengeri x sanguinea)
hay-sper = x sprengensis (sprengeri x chinensis)
hay-chin = x sprengensis (sprengeri x chinensis)
jax-ra = x rosea (radiata x sprengeri x radiata x radiata)
ra-hay = x rosea (radiata x sprengeri)
ra-spre = x rosea (radiata x sprengeri)

spre-hay x ra-jax = x rosea (sprengeri x sprengeri x radiata x sprengeri x radiata)
jax x ra-hay = x rosea (radiata x sprengeri x radiata x sprengeri)

We hope you enjoy the lycoris gallery. If you have photos of plants not included, we'd love to add them. We also welcome your comments. You can email us at office@plantdelights.com

As of 2020, JLBG has just over 27,000 taxa of living plants, making the collection one of the most diverse in the world. Fundraising for an operational endowment to preserve the garden is underway, administered by NC State University. If you'd like to help preserve the gardens and plant collections for future generations, you can do so with a tax-deductible contribution at JLBG.org and click on the Donate Link.

Lycoris aurea JLBG-002

Lycoris aurea JLBG-003

Lycoris aurea JLBG-004

Lycoris aurea JLBG-005

Lycoris aurea JLBG-010

Lycoris aurea JLBG-011 clump foliage

Lycoris aurea 'Kris Krinkles'

Lycoris aurea 'La Jolla Adams' 001'

Lycoris aurea 'La Jolla Adams' 002'

Lycoris aurea 'La Jolla Adams' 004'

Lycoris aurea 'La Jolla Adams' 005'

Lycoris aurea 'Landing Pad'

Lycoris aurea var. traubii

Lycoris aurea var. traubii foliage

Lycoris 'Breaking Dawn'

Lycoris chinensis JLBG-001

Lycoris chinensis JLBG-005

Lycoris chinensis JLBG-006

Lycoris chinensis JLBG-008

Lycoris chinensis JLBG-010

Lycoris chinensis JLBG-013 @ JLBG

Lycoris chinensis 'Sperryi' Caldwell form @ JLBG

Lycoris longituba - bottom/ Lycoris chinensis - top @ JLBG

Lycoris longituba - left/ Lycoris chinensis - right @ JLBG

Lycoris longituba 'Buttercup'

Lycoris longituba 'Butterfingers'

Lycoris longituba 'Early Riser'

Lycoris longituba JLBG-002

Lycoris longituba JLBG-003

Lycoris longituba JLBG-004

Lycoris longituba JLBG-007

Lycoris 'Night Bell Ringing at Nanping Temple'

Lycoris radiata 'Fire Tower'

Lycoris radiata 'Louisiana Lately'

Lycoris radiata var. pumila 'Adams August'

Lycoris radiata var. pumila 'Fourth of July'

Lycoris radiata var. pumila 'Red China'

Lycoris radiata var. pumila 'Tipping Point'

Lycoris radiata var. radiata 'Fire Engine'

Lycoris radiata var. radiata 'Kagaribi'

Lycoris radiata var. radiata 'Modern Japanese'

Lycoris sanguinea var. kiusiana

Lycoris sanguinea var. koreana

Lycoris 'September Noble'

Lycoris 'September Ruby'

Lycoris sprengeri 'Blue Bell'

Lycoris sprengeri 'Hayward' JLBG-002

Lycoris sprengeri 'Hayward' JLBG-003

Lycoris sprengeri 'Hayward' JLBG-005

Lycoris sprengeri 'Hayward' JLBG-006

Lycoris sprengeri 'Hayward' JLBG-007

Lycoris sprengeri 'Hayward' JLBG-009

Lycoris sprengeri 'Hayward' JLBG-014

Lycoris sprengeri JLBG-003

Lycoris sprengeri JLBG-006

Lycoris sprengeri JLBG-015

Lycoris sprengeri JLBG-019

Lycoris sprengeri 'Julyza'

Lycoris sprengeri l; haywardii type r; x rosea (haywardii of hort) front

Lycoris sprengeri 'PInk Floyd'

Lycoris sprengeri 'Pink Floyd'

Lycoris sprengeri 'Pink Floyd '

Lycoris sprengeri 'Rhythm and Blues'

Lycoris sprengeri 'Soft Cloud'

Lycoris 'Unsai'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Aunt Nolie's Pale Yellow'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Aunt Nolie's White'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Autumnal Streaker'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Barnwell'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Big Pink'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Buttermint'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Butterscotch Candy'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Candlelight'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Dawn'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Dorman'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Fall Festival'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Giridlian'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Glenn Dale Butternut'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Glenn Dale Sunshine'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Harvest Moon'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Light Clear Pink'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Marshall's Fertile'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Melon Collie'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Moonbeam'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Morrison's Pink'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Orange You Frilled'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Peach Flambee'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Phil's Gold'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Salmon'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Salmon Ella'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Satsumabijin'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Satsumabijin' foliage

Lycoris x albiflora 'Straw Pole'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Summer Passion'

Lycoris x albiflora 'Yellow Swallowtail'

Lycoris x caldwellii 'Apricot Butter'

Lycoris x caldwellii JLBG-006

Lycoris x caldwellii JLBG-07

Lycoris x caldwellii 'Sky over Sky'

Lycoris x caldwellii 'Sunray'

Lycoris x cinnabarina

Lycoris x flavescens 'Goldflame'

Lycoris x incarnata 'Blue Pearl'

Lycoris x incarnata 'Blue Queen'

Lycoris x incarnata 'Mauvin' On'

Lycoris x incarnata 'Peppermint'

Lycoris x incarnata 'Stargazer'

Lycoris x incarnata 'Viewing Fish at Jade Fountain'

Lycoris x incarnensis 'Summer Sunrise'

Lycoris x longitosea 'Royal Flush'

Lycoris x radchinaurea

Lycoris x radguinea 'October Bronze'

Lycoris x rosaurea 'Kaleidoscope'

Lycoris x rosaurea 'Regalia'

Lycoris x rosea 'August Red'

Lycoris x rosea 'August Rose'

Lycoris x rosea 'Aurora Borealis'

Lycoris x rosea 'Awanami'

Lycoris x rosea 'Banka no Utage'

Lycoris x rosea 'Blink Pink'

Lycoris x rosea 'Burning Hearts'

Lycoris x rosea 'Caldwell's Red'

Lycoris x rosea 'Caldwell's Rose'

Lycoris x rosea 'Cardinal's Robe'

Lycoris x rosea 'Carmen'

Lycoris x rosea 'Cheer Up'

Lycoris x rosea 'Cherry Chief'

Lycoris x rosea 'Cherry Crush'

Lycoris x rosea 'Cranberry Charm'

Lycoris x rosea 'Easter Bonnet'

Lycoris x rosea 'Fiery Cloud'

Lycoris x rosea 'Fireball'

Lycoris x rosea 'Flame'

Lycoris x rosea 'Flamenco Dancer'

Lycoris x rosea 'Flaming Embers'

Lycoris x rosea 'Flash Dance'

Lycoris x rosea 'Fruit Punch'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Belle'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Cherry Charm'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Cherry Cheeks'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Gem'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Glow Light'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Grand Prize'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Pink Flamingos'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Radiance'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Raspberry Lace'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Red Rooster'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Red Spider'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Redscue'

Lycoris x rosea 'Glenn Dale Rosy Blues'

Lycoris x rosea 'Hanren'

Lycoris x rosea 'Hazuki Elegance'

Lycoris x rosea 'Kariwatashi'

Lycoris x rosea 'Kibune'

Lycoris x rosea 'Matchsticks'

Lycoris x rosea 'Memphis Blues'

Lycoris x rosea 'Natsu no Odoriko'

Lycoris x rosea 'Neon Nights'

Lycoris x rosea 'Pink Frills'

Lycoris x rosea 'Pink Out'

Lycoris x rosea 'Pink Panther'

Lycoris x rosea 'Pink Ribbons'

Lycoris x rosea 'Pink-a-Blue'

Lycoris x rosea 'Red Flash'

Lycoris x rosea 'Red Riding Hood'

Lycoris x rosea 'Red Sprite'

Lycoris x rosea 'Red Sunset'

Lycoris x rosea 'Rose Parade'

Lycoris x rosea 'Rose Queen'

Lycoris x rosea 'Rosy Lips'

Lycoris x rosea 'Satsumhiryu'

Lycoris x rosea 'Spring Dawn at Su Causeway'

Lycoris x rosea 'Summer Screamer'

Lycoris x rosea 'Tomato Soup'

Lycoris x rosea 'Ueki'

Lycoris x rosea 'Victoria's Secret'

Lycoris x rosea 'Wild Heart'

Lycoris x rosensis 'Appleblossom'

Lycoris x rosensis 'Colorama '

Lycoris x rosensis 'Three Towers Mirroring the Moon'

Lycoris x rosguinea Adams #42

Lycoris x rosguinea 'Enrai'

Lycoris x rosguinea 'Syuhtou'

Lycoris x sprengensis '13th Lemon'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Chinese Sunrise'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Cream Tower'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Creamsickle'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Hazuki Horned Moon'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Lemon Cheesecake'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Magic Rainbow'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Midsummer Cream'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'September Cream Beauty'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'September Giant Cream'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Shosyu Tsukiyo'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Summer Leg Beauty'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Summer Moon'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Summer Rainbow'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Unpou'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Yugiri'

Lycoris x sprengensis 'Yuhbotaru'

Lycoris x sprenguinea 'August Sunset Beauty'

Lycoris x sprenguinea GM1998 24

Lycoris x sprenguinea 'Kitsune Select'

Lycoris x sprenguinea 'Matsuri Bayashi'

Lycoris x sprenguinea 'Matsuribune'

Lycoris x sprenguinea 'Momozono'

Lycoris x sprenguinea 'Phil Harmonic'

Lycoris x sprengurea 'Vanilla Ice Cream'

Lycoris x squamigera

Lycoris x straminea 'August Lemon'

Lycoris x straminea 'Blackcap Chitters Around the Willow Tree'

Lycoris x straminea 'Caldwell's Original'

Lycoris x straminea 'Cream Frilling'

Lycoris x straminea Dees Yellow

Lycoris x straminea 'Fantasia'

Lycoris x straminea 'Fawn'

Lycoris x straminea 'Gennen'

Lycoris x straminea 'Golden Panda'

Lycoris x straminea 'Hill beyond Hill'

Lycoris x straminea 'John Creech'

Lycoris x straminea 'Keirinn'

Lycoris x straminea 'Melcher's Crinkly Cream'

Lycoris x straminea 'Melcher's Crinkly Tricolor'

Lycoris x straminea 'Mellow Yellow'

Lycoris x straminea 'Moonlight'

Lycoris x straminea 'Peach Chiffon'

Lycoris x straminea 'Peach Swirl'

Lycoris x straminea 'Peach Taffy'

Lycoris x straminea 'Peaches and Cream'

Lycoris x straminea 'Peachy Keen'

Lycoris x straminea 'Red Hot Lover'

Lycoris x straminea 'Ring of Gold'

Lycoris x straminea 'September Green Star'

Lycoris x straminea 'September Lemon'

Lycoris x straminea 'Strawberry Lemonade'

Lycoris x straminea 'Syuhsui'

Lycoris x straminea 'Tie a Yellow Ribbon'

Lycoris x straminea 'Yellow Streamers'