Mystery lily

Lycoris squamigera

(and Nova)

This pink flower is called a "mystery lily" because of its strange growing habit. Early in the spring, dark strap-like leaves appear and it looks for all the world like its going to do something. But then the foliage completely disappears, and you forget all about it. In the fall, 3-foot stems magically appear out of the bare ground and it blooms with pink flower clusters. It's sometimes called the "naked lady" plant. I think a friend in California gave me a single bulb many years ago. If you don't accidentally dig them up, this "lily" increases each year. We've seen impressive clumps of them along the road in California where people once planted them at the ends of driveways and such. They flourish without any care at all.

I took this picture from a Dayton Ohio TV station website-- so they must do well back East, too.