When Should I Transplant Surprise Lilies Revealing Women?

The naked lady lily, also known as resurrection lily, magic lily, surprise lily, or March lily, is a perennial plant grown from a bulb. Its foliage emerges in spring and dies back, but the flowers resurrect in the fall. This plant is hardy in U.S Department of Agriculture zones 5 to 9, and is also known as Jersey lily, resurrection lily, magic lily, surprise lily, or the March lily.

To transplant surprise lilies, mark the spots with the plants and wait until late summer, early fall, or early spring. After gathering everything, prepare the new location for your plants. Bulbs do not like transplanting and can take a year to settle in, so it’s good to select a permanent home for them. Containers suitable for 3 gallon or larger needs are excellent.

Surprise lilies hail from Japan and go by many other names, such as Naked Lady, Spider Lily, and Magic Lily. The best planting period for Naked Lady bulbs is late summer or early fall, roughly six weeks before the area’s first frost date. Bulbs should be buried three inches deep with the pointed end facing up and have well-draining soil.

Resurrection lilies should only be transplanted when in their dormant stage, which occurs in late summer and into the fall and winter. To transplant, dig up bulbs in spring after leaves have turned yellow or after blooms fade in August, assuming soil is not damaged.

Both surprise lilies and lycoris squamigera are also known as naked ladies and literature says it’s best to transplant after flowering. If you must move them, do so during their dormant season, either in the summer or while they are actually in bloom. These low-maintenance bulbs benefit from being divided every 3-5 years, usually after the blooms fade in September.