Appearance

• The spider lily's large blooms range in color from white to pink or red. The flowers grow in clusters with petals turning upward with long stamen in the center resembling spider legs. The leafless stems grow 12 to 24 inches tall. These flowers are ideal for cutting.
  
  

Origin

• Believed to have originated in China and Japan, spider lilies were once known as stone garlic. This is because they grew in graveyards, fields or near temples. The plant's poisonous bulb was thought to capture the ghosts of anyone who mistakenly consumed it.
  
  

Growth Pattern

• Spider lilies grow from bulbs. During late winter and early spring, tall leaves shoot upward and remain for several weeks. In the summer, the stems emerge and the large, vibrant blooms appear. Each bulb may produce four flowered stems. In ideal conditions, the blooms should last for two weeks. Spider lilies are naturalizing flowers that multiply each year.
  
  

Precautions

• Because Spider lilies are extremely poisonous, do not to plant them where young children or pets may have access to them. Consuming this flower may cause severe gastrointestinal problems, seizures and possibly death. However, this does make Spider lilies especially resistant to deer and rodents.