The Season of the Red Flower
Soon after the heavy rains of an autumn typhoon, i t becomes the season of the red higanbana (彼岸花, red spider lily, Lycoris radiata ) Caution: All parts of the plant, from the flower to the stem to the root, contain toxic alkaloids, with the bulbs being especially abundant in these compounds. Ingestion can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and convulsions, and in severe cases, even death. This toxicity is why higanbana has traditionally been planted around rice fields to deter pests like mice and moles, and also in cemeteries to prevent animals from disturbing graves. Other colors: Lycoris aurea (Golden Spider Lily) are known for their bright yellow to golden-orange flowers Lycoris albiflora (White Spider Lily) Lycoris squamigera (Resurrection Lily or Naked Lady) pink Lycoris incarnata (Peppermint Spider Lily) pink Lycoris sanguinea is an orange spider lily Lycoris sprengeri is sometimes referred to as the "electric blue spider lily" because its pink flo...
