What is the difference between Lycoris radiata and Lycoris albiflora? A quick guide to telling them apart
Higanbana is a variety of Lycoris, a perennial herbaceous plant native to China, Japan and Korea, and is divided into two types: Lycoris radiata and Lycoris albiflora. The main difference between Lycoris radiata and Lycoris albiflora is the flower color: Lycoris radiata is bright red, while Lycoris albiflora is white. Let's take a look below!
Lycoris radiata
Lycoris radiata is a perennial herbaceous plant with a thick underground stem. The leaves are linear and emerge from the base after the flowering period. The flower scape is 30-60 cm tall, with an umbel borne at the tip. The flowers are bright red, the flower tube is relatively short, and the tepals are narrowly oblanceolate and curl outward. The stamens and style protrude, giving an elegant appearance. The flowering period is from July to September, with full bloom in July, growing in summer.
Lycoris albiflora
Lycoris albiflora, whose scientific name is white-flowered Lycoris, has a tunicate bulb that is nearly spherical with a purplish-brown outer coat. The leaves are slender and strap-shaped, 0.5-1 cm wide, with blunt tips and a powdery green band in the middle. The flower scape is sturdy and upright, 30-50 cm tall, and bears 5-7 flowers in a terminal umbel. The flowers are funnel-shaped and white, with wrinkled tepal margins that reflex backward, followed by capsules.
Common misconceptions about Higanbana
1. Red datura = Lycoris radiata: Red datura is a color form of datura, not Lycoris radiata. Lycoris radiata, also known as Higanbana, belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family, while datura belongs to the genus Datura in the Solanaceae family. It is generally regarded as the guiding flower growing along the Sanzu River, and its fragrance is said to have magical power that can awaken memories from one's past life.
2. Lycoris albiflora = datura: Lycoris albiflora and datura are two different flowers. Lycoris albiflora refers to the white Higanbana, that is, white-flowered Lycoris, while datura comes in many colors and belongs to the Solanaceae family.