Once established they are very permanent bulbs, but individually they are quite expensive. Way back when, they would get shared out, but back then lots of things got passed around that don't get passed around anymore.

To get some of the impressive older displays you now see would costs sometimes hundreds of dollars right off the bat just to get started.

There are several different species in the Lycoris genus. Most likely the pink ones from farther north are L. squamigera. I have never seen different varieties of that one. The other Lycoris are less hardy and come in a number of different colors, pretty much all of them lumped together as Spider Lilies. Many of these species are poisonous as well.

L. squamigera is hardy as far north as Iowa City, IA., which I know from personal experience, and it is sold here in Minneapolis, but I have not grown it here myself or seen it here outside in the ground. It should work just fine for zone 6. The Spider Lily group may not be hardy enough for zone 6, generally rated zone 7 and higher.

http://www.easytogrowbulbs.com/c-58-lycoris.aspx

Lycoris don't bloom as reliably after being disturbed, take a longer time to adjust, not as suited for instant gratification (or soon gratification) that so many other bulbs offer. I've had L. squamigera, L. aurea, and L. radiata. The bloom time of those is very short. You could go on vacation for a long week & miss the show.

Agree that the others are unlikely to be hardy in your zone, but L. squamigera is said to be hardy to Z5 on most sites, and I found that to be true in central OH. If there are cultivars of it out there, I'm not aware, but have never looked for any.

Slim, I live in Dodge City, and would be glad to send you some . Let me know where you are.

olddutch pretty much summed it up, but the reason there aren't many varieties of the most common real hardy type (L. squamigera) is that it's a sterile triploid hybrid. Sterile means no seeds which means you're very unlikely to see variations come up.

If you looked really hard you could probably find similar hardy types with different colors but you're really going to have to search out a small hobby breeder and beg for a bulb.

flowergirl70ks, I am in Overland Park. I have been to Dodge City many times because I visited family west of Liberal, KS several times a year (years ago) and am a K-Stater. That would be wonderful...perhaps a trade? Contact me via email if interested. kcdesoto1@hotmail.com

Thanks for everyone's comments. It sounds like there are no other colors of Surprise Lily because it is sterile. Thanks for the education.

I thought it would be fun to update this thread. flowergirl70ks did mail me many bulbs. If you know this plant, it can take a while to get going after transplant. The first year was sad, for sure, with many plants not sending out leaves and only a couple pushing out a bloom. We are at year 3 now and the bloom count is awesome. I inter-planted it with Globemaster Allium for 2-season bloom. Photos from May and August 2018

Decades ago Naked Ladies were hardy as far north as Iowa City. Foliage would come up in the spring and then die back and the flower stems popped up out of nowhere in August. Some old beds had dozens of bulbs and the display was massive, but that was the result of years of undisturbed presence. The old beds were very often out in the middle of a lawn. I have considered trying them now here in Minneapolis, which is not any harsher any more than Iowa City was back in the 70's. I guess the real secret is give them a place and then leave them alone indefinitely.

Slim, that's magnificent! What a great update!

If you want some variety, consider bulbmeister.com, Kelly specializes in lycoris.