Herb: Spider Lily


Latin name: Lycoris sanguinea


Family: Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis Family)



Edible parts of Spider Lily:

Bulb - cooked. It is used as a source of starch. The bulb is 2.5cm in diameter. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Bulb


Height:
50 cm
(1 foot)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Sparsely wooded hills and low mountains all over Japan.

Propagation of Spider Lily:

The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse and should germinate in the spring. Sow the seed thinly so that it does not need to be disturbed for its first year of growth. Give an occasional liquid feed during the growing season to ensure the plants do not become nutrient deficient. Pot up the small bulbs when the plants become dormant, placing 2 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another 2 years in the greenhouse before planting them out when they are dormant. Division of offsets in the dormant season.

Cultivation of the herb:

Sparsely wooded hills and low mountains all over Japan.

Medicinal use of Spider Lily:

None known

Known hazards of Lycoris sanguinea:

The bulb contains toxins and must be leached before it is used for food.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.