Thriving in the moist, shaded mountain slopes of China and the Korean Peninsula, Lycoris chinensis stands out due to its bright golden-yellow blooms.
This herbaceous perennial belongs to the family Amaryllidaceae and is commonly found at elevations around 800 meters. The species plays a crucial role in the evolution of several natural hybrids within the genus.
Bulbs are subglobose, measuring 3 to 4 centimeters in diameter, with dark brown outer scales.
Leaves are produced in early spring, linear in shape, and reach up to 35 centimeters in length before senescing in early summer.
The flowering scape is erect, growing up to 60 centimeters tall, bearing an umbel of 4 to 8 flowers. Each yellow flower has strongly reflexed tepals with highly undulate margins.
Late summer
The bulbs contain bioactive alkaloids such as lycorine and galanthamine, which are studied for pharmaceutical applications.
In its native regions, it is appreciated for its ecological role in mountain ecosystems and forest understories.
Selected wild specimens are sometimes studied for hybridizing projects to breed yellow-flowered garden cultivars.
This golden spider lily exhibits several fascinating biological traits:
A wild yellow-flowered variety of spider lily distinguished by its strongly undulate tepal margins.
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