Lycoris radiata var radiata Benikujyaku
(aka: Lycoris radiata ‘Fireworks’, ‘Plenum’) Oh my! You’ve got to hand it to those Japanese nurserymen who have an amazing penchant for discovering the most unique horticultural treasures, this from Kagoshima. Lycoris radiata ‘Benikujyaku’ is a double-flowered selection of the Chinese surprise lily, whose flowers appear seemingly overnight atop the 15″ tall stalks in September. To us, the flower heads of Lycoris radiata ‘Benikujyaku’ resemble a young Phyllis Diller…does anyone remember Phyllis? After flowering, the dark green, deer-resistant basal leaves emerge in October (NC), and remain green until late spring when they go dormant. If these float your proverbial boat, you’re horticulturally sunk.
