I love plant names that evoke images and, in particular, those that conjure the season in which they bloom. And one of the best is the aptly named, Schoolhouse Lily or Rhodophiala bifida. Its bloom seems to always coincide with going back to school, and for me, it evokes a romanticized vision of the little one-room schoolhouse made of wood and far out in the country.
Of course, now many of these heirloom bulbs are so rare that people are no longer making this association. Along with the decline of the more common red spider lily, schoolhouse lilies are being devastated by the increasing use of weedeaters and herbicides. Or perhaps it is just our general obsession with mowing everything. People often mistake the leaves, which come out long after the blooms, with weeds and inadvertently cut them down. Over time, with repeated sprayings and mowings, these little lilies have almost disappeared from the southern landscape. My mission is to reverse this trend!
Another descriptive name often associated with these bulbs is "oxblood" lily. This refers to the intense deep red color of the blooms. But there are clones that are more orange, and some that are even pink. Nurseries like Edenblooms and Plant Delights are constantly offering new color forms and varieties.
Like most Amaryllis relatives, this plant is easy to grow and perfectly suited for our climate. It requires no special maintenance and multiplies quickly by offsets. Compared to other bulbs, it is also relatively cheap, but can be hard to find. While I've found that it grows most vigorously in full sun, it also does quite well under the shade of pecan trees at my mom's house. These are small plants, around 8in tall, more comparable to rain lilies, than to the more stately spider lilies.
Like many quickly multiplying bulbs, I would suggest periodically lifting the whole clump and dividing. This will also enable you to create new plantings and hopefully share some with friends. Just be sure to dig deeply in order not to damage the bulbs... I just ruined a clump by not digging deep enough!
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