Red Spider Lily is a perennial bulb native to China, Japan, Korea, and Nepal, typically found in shady, moist slopes and rocky streambanks. Its species name, radiata, refers to the flower tepals that spread outward like wheel spokes from an umbel of 4 to 7 vivid red blooms atop 1 to 2 foot scapes. The flowers appear in late August through early fall on completely bare stems — the grayish-green strap-like leaves that follow will not emerge until October, remain evergreen through winter, and die back in spring, leaving the ground empty again for summer. Plant bulbs with the neck exposed, spaced 6 to 12 inches apart, in rich moist well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.

The bulbs naturalize readily through offsets and are long-lived once settled, making them well-suited to mass plantings along walkways, in courtyard gardens, or at the front of a mixed border. They need a sufficient root system to flower reliably, so any container must be generous in size. Division is the standard method of propagation. Because the plant appears on bare stems with nothing around it, planting it among groundcovers or perennials that fill the gap during its dormant periods makes for a more coherent planting.