Spider Lily Plant Care

Spider Lily (Lycoris squamigera) belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family within the Lycoris genus. Spider Lily is native to southeast China and Korea. Spider Lily is also known as Naked Lady, Resurrection Lily, Surprise Lily.

Spider Lily displays an upright, clumping growth habit, reaching up to 1.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 0.5 ft. Spider Lily produces showy clusters of funnel-shaped flowers in red, pink, white, or yellow.

Leaf size: approximately 12 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Spider Lily every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Spider Lily thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Lycoris squamigera tolerates temperatures of 50–80°F. Spider Lily prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining, sandy soil with organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Spider Lily to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Spider Lily every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining, sandy soil with organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Spider Lily is suited to USDA Zone 12a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Spider Lily can spread to about 1 ft (0.2 m) and reach about 2 ft (0 m) tall. Space plants about 1 ft (0.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Spider Lily while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Spider Lily is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 12). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

Spider Lily can be propagated through offsets, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to red spider lily plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Spider Lily is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, thrips. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Spider Lily grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. Spider Lily is native to southeast China and Korea. In cooler regions, grow Spider Lily as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.