The naked ladies I know in the United States are Lycoris squamigera; in the Amaryllidaceae family, but not the genus Amaryllis. According to Scott Ogden in his book, “Garden Bulbs for the South,” they hail from Japan and the genus is named for the mistress of Roman general Marcus Antonius.
Debbie in Western NC
Yes, Henry! Naked ladies are the same as Amaryllis belladonna… I presume it got its nickname because the foliage comes up in spring and in the summer only the stem and bloom magically appear naked? Interesting, we all seem to have it bloom at the same time!!!!
Ceci Brown
Growing Daffodils in Virginia
Friends,
I’m going to show my ignorance…how does one know whether the bulbs given to them as “Naked Ladies” are Lycoris or Amaryllis belladonna?
Mary Lou
Mary Lou,
Amaryllis belladonna is not hardy north of the deep south and the west coast areas, so bulbs shared from Ohio locals would be those of Lycoris. Unless, said locals have a conservatory or glass house—A. belladonna can be grown successfully indoors, but it may take years for them to flower. They really want to be outside, in hardy habitat.
Well grown Lycoris bulbs are often the size of a large apple, somewhat ovoid in shape with long, finger-like necks. They have flaky, papery tunics of deep coffee-to-greyish-brown. If you cut into a bulb, they are very succulent and milky white inside, and they almost always have a set of greenish leaves tucked in the middle, for the following growing season.
Amaryllis belladonna bulbs are larger, more daffodil-like in morphology but mango-sized, with very short and reduced or blunt necks with tunics of kraft-paper brown or paler with darker brown corduroy-like lines; if you try to pull the tunics apart, the natural latex in the tunic walls create hundreds of hair-like, stringy fibers or web-like material. It’s very distinct—and a terrific natural protection mechanism for the bulb when it grows in the wild.
Jason
My suggestion is to ask Brent Heath. If his identification is not correct, it is probably the first time he has been wrong…except for the following comment he made when he was in our garden during the bus tour when the ADS met in Richmond. Someone asked him about a particular daffodil and his wonderful comment was, and I hope he will forgive me…”It’s either Chrmacolor or that darned Fragrant Rose!”. It was his Fragrant Rose! Those of us who heard it got a huge laugh out of it! OK, Brent…What is it?