Cheryl, there are at least two different plants commonly called 'spider lily' - Lycoris radiata (red spider lily) and Hymenocallis (white spider lily). And each has somewhat different growing requirements (and hardiness requirements). I doubt either will be adequately winter hardy for you to plant in the ground - certainly not the Hymenocallis (USDA zone 6 and above). So winter care is necessary :-)

Both are winter dormant so light is not a concern. Of your options, I'd pick the basement storage room. It is best to keep the bulb as cool as possible but above freezing.

Thislink should help you determine your hardiness zone but just based on temps, I'd say you were the equivalent of a USDA zone 4. And if you know which type of spider lily you have, you can research its growing conditions by the botanical name.

Hi Cheryl. You can find your zone by googling the Canadian climate zone map. I'm outside Wpg, zone 2b/3 with lows a bit colder than -30. Where are you?

in regards to your Spider Lilies, are they Hymenocallis? Unfortunately with common names more than one variety can have the same name causing confusion giving info. If they are Hymenocallis, you can just store them dormant over the winter in their pots in a cool location such as the basement and then restart them up again in the spring. I would repot them then with fresh soil; you may divide them then as well if they have multiplied.

If you have a different plant you can repost for info.

I am in Black Diamond Alberta which is south and west of Calgary about 40 minutes. My lilies are the Hymenocallis. They came from Arizona. They are currently in pots one outside and one inside. The one outside is really root bound and I want to transplant into larger pot in the fall. Do I cut the plant down in the fall also? Do I reduce light or have no light at all? I absolutely love the flower on this beautiful lily.

Thanks

Cheryl

Hi Cheryl,

While I currently don't have any hymenocallis I have grown them in the past. They are an easy bulb to grow which is a real bonus. While they have a common name of Spider Lily, they are not a lily. They also are called Peruvian Daffodil as they resemble a daffodil flower!

They are meant to go dormant in the winter so I wouldn't bother repotting in the fall. Just stop watering your plants and let them go dormant; the foliage will dry up and you can cut it off. You can either store them in the pots or dig up the bulbs and store in a baggy with dry peat moss, or shavings. Keep them in a cooler area of the house such as the basement; light or no light makes no difference as they are dormant.

Somewhere around April, repot into fresh potting soil and place in a sunny spot in your house; keep soil moist but not wet. You can pot up the multiplied bulbs in separate containers.

As far as I recall, they do not need to be root bound to bloom.

There is a yellow variety that is called "Sulpher Queen"; it is very pretty and has a lovely fragrance.

good luck!

thank you for you help. I love this flower