Characteristics of the red spider lily and a detailed introduction, all you need to know in one article
When I mention red spider lily, I believe many people do not know it, but when I mention "higanbana" (the flower of the other shore), I believe everyone has an impression of it. It gives people a sense of mystery. Next, let us take a look at the characteristics and introduction of the red spider lily!
Red spider lilies grow on rocks, in rock crevices, and even along roadsides. A single red spider lily stem bears several flowers, distributed radially from the top toward all sides. The perianth is divided into six segments, blood-red in color, sometimes with white edges. The shape of each flower looks like a dragon's claw forced wide open, which is why it is also called the dragon's claw flower.
The red spider lily is rigid in form yet soft in substance, delicate and endearing. Its flower stems are emerald green, rising straight from the ground, sturdy and upright. One red spider lily flower after another is like a young woman performing rhythmic gymnastics, dignified yet fluent, rigid yet graceful, strong and beautiful, displaying its posture in the wind, full of vibrant life.
When the red spider lily blooms, no leaves are seen. The leaves emerge from the underground bulb only after the flowers fade, in early October, shaped like thin ribbons, dark green in color, with a powdery green band down the middle of the leaf surface, lush and alluring, remaining green through winter without withering. In May of the following year, the leaves finally turn yellow and withered, entering a summer dormancy period. It is a case of "flowers and leaves never meeting."
"A single arrow toward the sky, blazing like fire; autumn stamens without fragrance guard the mountain spring." The dragon's claw flower is like a fiercely burning flame, dazzlingly gorgeous, that vivid red, hot and spicy. Yet inside it remains clear and plain, a rare hermit among flowers.
Nowadays the dragon's claw flower mostly grows in wild forests, not showing off at all, admiring its own beauty in solitude, somewhat desolate. In my view, the peerless beauty and fiery passion that the dragon's claw flower blooms forth in loneliness are truly its rebellion against and mockery of fate.
What are the symbolic meanings of the red spider lily?
Because the red spider lily's characteristic is that it first sends up a flower scape and blooms, then produces leaves at the end of flowering or after the flowers fade, and there are other types that first produce leaves and then send up a scape to bloom after the leaves wither, the higanbana shows no leaves when it blooms, and no flowers when there are leaves. Flowers and leaves never meet, cherishing each other life after life.
Hence the saying "higanbana, blooming on the other shore, only flowers seen, no leaves in sight, missing each other life after life." In spring it is a bulb, in summer it grows leaves, in autumn it stands up and blooms, in winter the flower stems slowly fade away again. Because it carries the meaning of a tragic love that can never meet, it is called higanbana.
The red spider lily is Manjusaka. In legend, it is the flower that voluntarily threw itself into hell, was sent back by the demons, but still lingered on the road to the Yellow Springs. The demons could not bear it, so they agreed to let it bloom on this road, giving guidance and comfort to the souls leaving the mortal world. It is generally believed to be the guiding flower that blooms only on the banks of the Sanzu River in the underworld, on the far shore of the River of Forgetfulness. Its fragrance is said to have magic power, able to awaken the memories of the dead from their lifetime.
Because it is red as fire, it is praised as the "road lit by fire," and it is also the only scenery and color on this long road to the Yellow Springs. When the soul crosses the River of Forgetfulness, it forgets everything from its lifetime, and all that once was remains on the other shore. The departed then follow this flower's guidance toward the dark underworld.
How to grow the red spider lily
Potted cultivation: The red spider lily likes diffused light and does not like strong light, so the light it receives must not be too intense. It generally has no excessive demands on soil, but of course it is a southern flower, so the soil is best if it is acidic, slightly sandy, and breathable and well-draining, which is optimal. The red spider lily has ornamental value all year round.
The red spider lily has strong adaptability, and its bulbs have a dormant phenomenon. In the north it needs to be grown in pots for ornamental purposes, and red spider lilies planted at the end of May should also be able to bloom. The suitable time for cultivation in the north: it should be planted in spring (April-May). Most varieties like a warm climate, with a maximum temperature not exceeding 30°C and a ten-day average temperature of 24°C, suitable for red spider lily growth. Ten days after sowing, the root system grows vigorously, and the leaves emerge from the ground one after another. In winter, when the daily average temperature is above 8°C and the minimum temperature reaches 1°C, it does not affect the growth of the red spider lily. Watering should not be excessive, otherwise it will cause its rhizome to rot.
Cultivation: Peel off the small bulbs around the main bulb for propagation. Trim off the residual roots of the main bulb, sun-dry for two days, and plant once the wound has dried. When covering with soil, the top of the bulb should be exposed above the soil surface. For potted cultivation, choose large bulbs that have grown for 3 years and can bloom (diameter above 7 cm). You can plant one bulb per pot, or plant 3-4 bulbs in a large pot. Plant shallowly, so that 1/3-1/2 of the bulb sits above the soil surface. After potting, water once, just enough to make the soil slightly moist. Water again after new leaves emerge. Apply liquid fertilizer once every half month. In autumn, when the leaves thicken and mature, watering can be stopped.
The above is the complete content of the characteristics of the red spider lily and the detailed introduction to the red spider lily that I have summarized for everyone. I hope this article can help everyone. Please also continue to follow us.
Apply liquid fertilizer once every half month. In autumn, when the leaves thicken and mature, watering can be stopped.The above is the complete content of the characteristics of the red spider lily and the detailed introduction to the red spider lily that I have summarized for everyone. I hope this article can help everyone. Please also continue to follow us.