Spider Lily (Lycoris radiata): Does It Have Seeds, Price per Jin, Home Growing Methods, and Blooming Period

Spider lily, also known as black garlic, spider lily, manjusaka, mandarava, and Lycoris radiata, is a common Amaryllidaceae flower in mountains and woodlands. Because its blooms are extremely beautiful, it is widely planted. So does the spider lily have seeds? How much do the seeds cost per jin? Can it be grown at home? How do you grow it? When does it bloom?

Seed price:

Spider lily is generally propagated by bulbs, and bulbs cost about 1 to 2 yuan each. Spider lily seed propagation is generally used only for crossbreeding. The seeds have no dormancy, so they should be sown immediately after collection, and at 20°C the radicle can be seen emerging after 15 days. When sown in a natural environment, in the first growth cycle only a few seedlings put out a single leaf. The seedlings can be transplanted once during the seedling stage, and from sowing to flowering the seedlings take about 4 to 5 years.

Can it be grown at home?

Yes. Many people like to place spider lilies in the living room, on the balcony, and elsewhere at home, where they also serve to beautify the environment.

Although the spider lily is highly ornamental, its rhizome is toxic. The bulb contains the alkaloid lycorine, which can cause symptoms such as vomiting and spasms. It must not be eaten casually, but it can be used for sedation, inhibition of drug metabolism, and anticancer effects. Despite being toxic, the bulb can be eaten after processing and is also used as a medicinal material. Galantamine extracted from the rhizome of Lycoris radiata can be used to treat polio. Spider lily has the effects of dispelling wind and reducing swelling, and of detoxifying and fighting cancer. It is used to treat stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, and liver cancer. According to records in traditional Chinese medical texts, the spider lily bulb is warm in nature, bitter in taste, and toxic. As medicine it has the effects of inducing vomiting, resolving phlegm, reducing swelling, relieving pain, and detoxifying. However, if eaten by mistake, it may cause poisoning, with mild cases involving vomiting and diarrhea. According to pharmacological research, spider lily has a certain anticancer activity and can also fight inflammation, reduce fever, sedate, and induce vomiting, and it also has therapeutic effects on amoebic dysentery.

Growing techniques:

1. Soil: Spider lily is not picky about soil, but it grows best in loose, fertile soil rich in humus. Its natural habitat is red soil, and it is accustomed to acidic soil.

2. Temperature: Spider lily likes a warm climate, and the suitable temperature for growth is between 15 and 25°C, but it is highly cold-tolerant. The upper limit of high temperature it can endure is a daily average temperature of 24°C.

3. Light: Spider lily likes a semi-shaded environment, but it can also tolerate strong sun. It enters dormancy in summer, so direct sunlight should be avoided and it should be grown in a cool environment.

4. Water: Spider lily likes moisture, but it can also tolerate drought. However, when planted in well-drained soil, maintaining a sufficient water supply will make the spider lily grow better.

5. Fertilizing: Before planting spider lily, plenty of organic fertilizer should be buried in the soil, after which a topdressing should be applied once every two months. Homemade decomposed compost or a three-element fertilizer can be used.

Blooming time:

For this plant, it mainly blooms in two periods. The first stage is from February to March. The second stage is from July to September, and among these, the flowers bloom best in July, which is its peak blooming period. According to legend, those that bloom around the spring equinox are called "spring higan", while those that bloom around the autumn equinox are called "autumn higan". Generally speaking, it blooms very punctually.

It generally blooms from July to September, and July is its peak blooming period. There is a saying that the three days around the spring equinox are called spring higan, while the three days around the autumn equinox are called autumn higan. The spider lily blooms during the autumn higan period and is very punctual, which is why it is called the higan flower.