How to Divide a Spider Lily Plant

Spider lilies (Lycoris radiata) spring into action out of nowhere in the late summer and early fall. Neither a true lily nor a magic trick, L. radiata sprouts foliage in the springtime and goes dormant during the heat of the summer. Once temperatures begin to cool and rain becomes more frequent, L. radiata sends up its mysterious leafless blooms. Spider lilies can multiply wildly and are often shared between gardeners. Dividing them is easy -- they are fall-planted bulbs and divide in exactly the same way as tulips.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Sharp knife

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Watch for foliage die-back in summer, indicating bulb dormancy. Dig carefully around the clump of bulbs with a shovel and lift them from the ground.

   • 2

     Break young bulbs from around the edges of the older bulbs. Cut away any small bulbs that are firmly attached to the older ones.

   • 3

     Replant the large bulbs in the bed from which you dug them. Plant the younger bulbs in a new bed where they will receive at least four hours of sun daily. They are very tolerant to soil conditions so long as they are not in standing water.