Hi marjorie_g,

It doesn't look like anything I am familiar with that is hardier and grows in my zone.

Do the leaves have a fold or crease down the center? It looks like it.

I'm not familiar with Aganpanthus, but know it might be hardy in your zone, but am not familiar with the foliage other than I think it is strap like, similar to yours.

There were about 20 to a clump that was about a foot in diameter
I suspect they may have been too crowded to bloom. Are you new to the house, or the bed you found them in?

Sue

Oh how exciting! Will you separate and replant them? Be sure to follow up next spring. :D

When I moved into my house there were what looked like short tulip leaves scattered throughout the grass in the backyard. I dug them up and found bulbs, which I replanted.
Now I have gorgeous deep red peony tulips. :D
~JoAnn

They may be Amaryllis belladonna. They grow foliage in the spring and then die down until August, when they send up a flower stalk with no foliage. They dislike being moved and may not bloom for a year or two after moving. No care is required and they are best planted in an out of the way location where they can be ignored, except when in bloom. The common name most used is "Naked Ladies". Al

Al,

You may be correct. I think I got these from a friend in Florida and i know she had some that the bloom came up before the follage. However, these have been planted in an out of the way flower bed for the past 6+ years. The bulbs are about 6 cm across, the strange thing is that it looks like more than one set of leaves are comming out of the bulbs. I guess I will find out in a few years when they bloom. Thanks everyone for their input.

That reminds me of paperwhites, which are similar to little daffodils.

that's not a naked lady. i have a couple and the leaves and bulbs look nothing like that. naked ladies are more corm-type things than actual bulbs.

carla1 could be right about them being paperwhites though.