Lycoris radiata question

6 years ago

People like me who grow this plant know that these bulbs grow their foliage starting from fall and all the way through spring until it goes dormant. So I have a question.. is this plant considered active even the dead of the winter? How can the bulb and roots function in frozen ground? Also how does it photosynthesize when there is snowcover? I am just confused because this is like the only plant that has an active growth cycle in a season where all other plants are supposed to be dormant. Its going out of the norm. The growing season is the total opposite for this lycoris compared to all other temperate climate plants.

PS: Either deer or rabbits ate all 7 of my lycoris all the way to the ground and I don't see anymore new growth coming in from it, which makes me believe that it is only non-dormant until its leaves fully emerge(around december) and then goes dormant after but just the leaves remain evergreen. Anyone who knows about this plant please let me know.

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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

6 years ago

Evergreens never go completely dormant in winter - not like herbaceous or deciduous plants - and they DO continue to photosynthesize. That's why you cannot store tender BLE's or overwinter baby conifers in a dark environment like you would with something that goes fully dormant. And even protecting from sunburn (isn't it really dessication or wind burn that's being prevented?) doesn't mean they don't take in sunlight - it is only to protect the plant from excessive drying, which can affect proper photosynthesis. Evergreens are actually in a period of quiescence or rest - not dormant but also not in active growth.

Although I have not studied the morphology of bulbs to the same degree, I would assume the bulbs are similar. The roots remain active and the bulbs store all the energy gathered during the active growing period and will push out new growth when the temperatures necessary for that to happen are present.

How are you coming with your hort classes?? They should start answering a lot of these questions for you............ :-))

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Comments (6)

bossyvossy
6 years ago
I grow it but live in Houston and don’t know answer to your question. Very tough Plant and even when we’ve accidentally mowed down foliage, it comes back stronger than b4.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
"How can the bulb and roots function in frozen ground? "

The same way the roots of any other spring flowering bulbs do. Soil temperatures never get as cold as air temps and in many cases, they seldom decline much below freezing. Prolonged or extended periods of subzero temps could alter that but that's more of an issue in the tundra or with permafrost than it is with the soil in a zone 6/7 garden!!

"Also how does it photosynthesize when there is snowcover?"

The same way any smaller evergreen shrub or groundcover does when buried in snow. Snow does not halt photosynthesis.

"The growing season is the total opposite for this lycoris compared to all other temperate climate plants."

I don't believe this is true :-) A great many plants feature winter flowers. And there are quite a few plants that are dormant in summer but grow, develop and flower in the "off season.
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bossyvossy
6 years ago
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Heruga (7a Northern NJ)
Original Author
6 years ago
Gardengal, but evergreen shrubs like lets say azaleas are dormant in winter(right?) so I thought they would not photosynthesize one bit of sunshine? People say protect conifers from winter sunburn which means they absorb no sunshine in the winter because they are fully dormant. Wouldn't that be the same for broadleaf evergreen shrubs as well?

Also if they are still undormant(not sure if its a word) as of now in february wouldn't the leaves have started growing back after being chopped to the ground? Just like how grass grows back after being mowed, and my sedums grew back after being eaten by deer. So I guess the MAIN thing I want to know.. what months are they typically in the active phase? I am guessing August(bloom time starts) to April/May(when leaves start fading)?
Heruga (7a Northern NJ)
Original Author
6 years ago
Oh I did not know that.. I always thought they go completely dormant even with some of its leaves on.

So I will watch my lycoris if they will start growing new leaves in spring. But then again it's close to their dormant period so it may not.. Some of the chopped leaves are already turning yellow and looks like it's rotting away.

I've only been able to take one horticulture class yet. My work schedule and the class times don't meet well which restricts me to take night classes only and they barely offer night classes. Also no weekend classes

Lycoris radiata question

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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bossyvossy

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Lycoris radiata question

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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bossyvossy

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bossyvossy

Heruga (7a Northern NJ)Original Author

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Heruga (7a Northern NJ)
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