I know, I know, I know...Sue waving hand wildly here.

What you describe is Lycoris Squamigera.

The link below tells a bit about their care. They do not like to be moved or disturbed, so they 'may' sulk for a season or two before blooming. Be careful to not plant them too close together, as they will grow and multiply, and you won't want to disturb them too soon to divide them.

Enjoy! I sure like mine.

Sue...chemocurl

Here is a link that might be useful: Lycoris Squamigera

Thanks a lot, Sue!

Once I clicked on the link I spent time looking through all the beautiful things in the catalogue...LOL.

Leslie

Dearest, dearest Sue. Stop the waving of the hands....It isn't the one. The flower is a single stem pink "lily", while the ones in the catalog you refer to are multiples. I must admit that newbie in nj was correct in that the catalog was beautiful.
Sorry.
chefdarka
ps: I DID APPRECIATE IMMENSILY YOUR EFORTS>>>>>

hhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmm.........

3. A beautiful single stem pink "lily" comes up around August 20th in Zone 5.
Each bulb will send up a single stem but there are several lily type blooms atop of it. Might you be able to ask if there is only one bloom atop the stem, or if there are multiple blooms at the top of the stem?

From what you describe, with the exception of there just being one single bloom per stem, they sound exactly like the Lycoris Squamigera.

Keep us posted please...am most interested in knowing what it 'really' is. Time will tell I guess.

Sue...no longer waving wildly...sigh

any chance it's the pink rain lily?

Here is a link that might be useful: zephyrantes grandiflora

It this the beast you are looking for? It's called a Magic Lily or Surprise Lily. It only has daff foliage for mose of the summer and then POW, out comes the pink! Enjoy them ,they are fun...

Dani

{{gwi:10624}}

It this the beast you are looking for? It's called a Magic Lily or Surprise Lily.
Dani, that is the same as the Lycoris Squamigera I linked to above. Chefdarka said that was not it, as her neighbor told her "The flower is a single stem pink "lily". She took that too mean that it only had one bloom on it as opposed to multiple which the Lycoris/Surprise Lily has.
I asked if she could ask her neighbor if there is only one bloom atop the stem, or if there are multiple blooms at the top of the stem, but have not heard back yet.

Sue

HA! Didn't know the technical name, sorry! Silly me...

Didn't know the technical name, sorry! Silly me...
No, not really silly you! I think there are likely few gardeners who know their Latin name.

There are many different Lycoris, but Squamigera are the hardiest. Lycoris go by a bunch of different 'common' names. Magic lily or Surprise lily, like all the other common names could be any variety.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Common names for Lycoris

Thank You So much to all of you for trying to help me identify this plant. The photographs have been incredible. Actually, I would like to plant all of them, however looking at all of the possibilities there have been no bulleyes.....sorry. The plant that I received comes out with a single pink stem. That's it....and it comes around August 20th (the lady's birthday who gave them to me). I swear she gave them to me so that I would never forget her birthday and thus never forget to bake a scruptious celebration cake (hahaha) I think everyone, including me will have to wait till August 20th. I will most certainly take photographs of mine (if they bloom) or hers.... I'm going up to Pop's orchard tomorrow where I planted them and see how they are doing. After we planted them, they went to shock. The leaves were lying down on the ground as I drove off...

I sure hope it blooms this year! So many bulbs sulk the first year after transplant, I'd hate to be in suspense for that long.

I have a back up plan! If mine don't bloom this year (and I have a sick feeling they won't) I will most certainly take photos of my neighbor's bloomers.

I'm most nervous about the amount of rain we have had up in southern Wisconsin. I know that I lost atleast 1/2 of my iris's due to bulb rot. I have my fingers crossed that my blueberries don't face the same destiny.

DEAREST CHEMOCURL.......I hope you look at my page. Please, please SUe.....Start waving your hand wildy! You were ABSOLUTELY right about my lillies. They indeed are the LYCORIS Squamigera Lily.
I took spectacular photos but have to fugure out how to post them on this site.
You are a hero in my book. Read your page and thought we were soul mates.

Warmest regards,
chefdarka

{{gwi:31707}}

Whoo-Hoo!!!

I knew it, I knew it. I knew it, but had forgotten until now. So what your neighbor said ( A beautiful single stem pink "lily" comes up around August 20th) when they actually meant a single stem with several pink lily blooms.

I am so happy you now know what they are, and that you got pics. Your neighbor was certainly right about their bloom time, so are you going to make her a cake? Did yours bloom, or did you get pics of hers?

I took spectacular photos but have to fugure out how to post them on this site.
Ok...can you get the pics into the computer?
if so, then open up a free Photobucket account and upload your pics to their site....it is fairly self explanatory.

Then either copy the HTML code found below the pic (for a regular sized pic (which 'might' end up being huge)and paste it into the message box , or else copy the HTML Thumb code found below the pic and paste it right into the message box. That will make a nice thumbnail pic, that will be clickable if the Photobucket settings are set up right.

This is assuming that you are comfortable with having either multiple tabs or multiple windows open at the same time. I tried and tried to help a member post pics and she was having an awful time. Come to find out, she was trying to do it only using one window.

Sue...thrilled for ya!

You go, Sue. The one with the raised hand takes the risk, but also gets the prize!

I gotta get me some of those. I had them in my VERY first garden in 1978 and never since.

Now that I know the identity of the lily (Thanks to Chemocurl.....YEAY!!!!!), does anyone know whether I can transplant these bulbs in fall? I would like to get more of them but don't know the best time to plant and/or replant.
Thank you to all in advance! Remember, I am in zone 5 (southern Wisconsin)

Did you ever find out when to move them? I moved into my house last year and noticed these surprise lilies then around August. They are now back. They are all over my backyard in random places, and I would like to move them to a bed in the front of my house. They are too pretty not to reuse. Any tips on when they can be moved? They are blooming now. I am in Southern California.

The ideal time to move them is between the time the bloooms die down and the foliage comes up, usually about a two week window. However, lycoris are so doggone tough, I think you could move them nearly anytime. They are infamous sulkers after being moved, so don't be surprised if they skip a year or two of blooming. As long as the foliage comes up, you'll know you're okay. Just be patient.

I agree that they are pretty tough and should be fine regardless of when they are moved.

Pick your new spots carefully, since you won't want to disturb them again for a good long while, due to them sulking after being disturbed.

They are too pretty not to reuse.
You're so right. If they have been planted for a while, you might be pleasantly surprised at how many bulbs there actually are.