1 What is the spider lily?
Origin and meaning of the spider lily flower
Besides the scientific name Lycoris Radiata (or Spider Lily), the spider lily is also known by many other names such as: Dragon Claw Flower, Man Chau Sa Hoa, Hong Hoa Thach Toan,… Due to its origin from China and Japan , so they are often present in songs, poems and even movies from these two countries.
In each different country, the meaning of the spider lily flower is also different. For example , in Japan, this is a flower that symbolizes memories of sadness and despair. Or in Korea, the flower depicts longing for the other half. As for China, when mentioning the spider lily, it is like mentioning separation and separation.
In general, the spider lily often conveys the meaning of separation, sadness, unluckiness, or death and grief. At the same time, they also convey to everyone that love is just an illusion, when the relationship ends, the love ends, and if you pay off your life’s debt, you should not regret it and then suffer more.
Bi An is a poisonous flower (the bulb is poisonous), so people often compare love to poison, the more you indulge in it, the more suffering and torment it becomes.
The legend of the spider lily
In the past, Man Chau and Sa Hoa were originally a couple, but could not meet and love each other due to the laws of heaven. Because they missed each other so much, they both broke the law of heaven, found each other and vowed never to be apart. Because of this, they were banished to earth and became flowers and leaves of the same tree.
This tree possesses a beautiful beauty but contains a lot of sadness. In particular, when the flowers bloom, the leaves no longer grow, and when the leaves grow, the flowers never appear. The fact that flowers and leaves do not meet is like a punishment for Man Chau and Sa Hoa, causing them to be forever separated.
Suddenly one day, Buddha accidentally discovered a type of flower with a bright red color throughout the entire area , both expressing nostalgia and hidden sadness. Understanding the mystery in it, the Buddha had compassion and took them to the Pure Land.
Originally a Buddhist land, a pure place, this flower had to shake off the feelings of sadness, longing,… to stay in the world. Then those emotions turned into a bright red color that fell into the Vong Xuyen River.
At this time, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva planted the seeds so that they became bright red flowers that rose from the water. Since then, this red flower is called Man Chau Sa Hoa, whose mission is to act as a messenger to lead souls towards reincarnation.
As for the flowers that were with the Buddha in the Pure Land, they turned into pure white, unstained by dust. They are called Mandala Flowers – flowers of the Buddha realm. This is also another name for the spider lily.
Since then, the spider lily has two main colors, one is pure white flower symbolizing desirelessness, desirelessness, compassion and suffering. The other color is a bright red flower that reminds of separation and sadness.
Characteristics and classification of spider lilies
Characteristics of spider lily
Originally a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, the spider lily stands out with its average height of 40 – 100cm. They often grow on field edges, roadsides, hillsides and even cemeteries. In particular, the tubers of the spider plant are very dangerous because they contain lycorine – a toxic alkaloid that can negatively affect the nervous system.
The most unique feature of the plant is that the flowers grow in unique clusters . With long petals that have 5-7 buds, when blooming, they will spread out in many directions as if taking in all the essence of heaven and earth. The interesting thing about them is that when the tree flowers, there will be no leaves, and when there are leaves, there will be no flowers . Therefore, their flowers and leaves will never meet each other.
Classification of spider lilies
Currently, spider lilies have 5 main colors: red, white, pink, yellow and purple.
Red spider lily
With a bright red color that stands out in every corner of the area, the red spider lily is the most popular of all colors. Hidden deep in that bright flower color is the meaning of separation, the sadness of love being separated.
White spider lily
The white spider lily possesses a pure, elegant beauty, free from dust. Unlike the red sea buckthorn, which carries a lot of pain, the white sea buckthorn is just a memory of pure love.
Pink spider lily
The pink spider lily symbolizes love, feminine beauty and intense passion.
Yellow spider lily
As brilliant as the red spider lily, the yellow spider lily has taken on a warm golden tone like sunlight. Yet it also evokes eternal separation, not being able to see the other person, but hidden deep in the heart there is still the other person’s shadow.
Purple spider lily
The purple spider lily has captivated many people because it carries a color of fidelity. No matter how painful it is, love is always as complete and pure as in the beginning . In addition, they also symbolize that after many days of separation, you will reunite with your other half.
Besides, many people often mention the blue spider lily, but the blue spider lily is not real. The blue spider lily color appears in the Japanese anime comic series – Kimetsu (full name Kimetsu No Yaiba). Accordingly, the green spider lily has the effect of saving the character Muzan from a dangerous disease.
2 Effects of spider lily
Some researchers show that spider lilies are used to repel mice and some other insects. Besides, the plant also has the ability to help reduce rheumatic pain, edema and reduce swelling and acne on the body.
In addition, spider lily bulbs have also been researched by traditional Chinese medicine experts to help reduce pain and inflammation. However, the tubers of the cypress tree are very dangerous because they contain toxins, so people should not use them arbitrarily.
3 How to plant and care for spider lilies
How to grow spider lilies at home
Choose soil to grow spider plants : To plant spider plants, you should choose a loose, moist soil area with a slope to help the plant drain water more easily. When planting, you should bury 2/3 or 3/4 of the tuber in the ground. At the same time, the distance between the bulbs is at least 10cm.
Good season to plant spider plant : You can plant spider plant any season of the year. However, it is best to plant in late winter and early spring. Because this is the time when the plant grows the most and produces more beautiful flowers.
Choose a place with good lighting : You should plant the tree in a sunny or shady area. In particular, spider lily will bloom earlier if it is planted in a shaded place. As for bloom time, this flower will usually fluctuate around 2 – 3 weeks.
How to water the spider plant : If you plant the plant in a shady place, you only need to water it about 1-2 times a week. If planted in a sunnier place, you need to add water every day to provide enough moisture for the plant. In particular, to make the flowers last longer, you should water them every day while the plant is in bloom.
How to care for spider lilies
Pruning : Although there is no need to prune too much, when the foliage of the spider plant turns yellow, you should remove them immediately. Because they can absorb nutrients from the tubers and have a negative impact on future blooming.
Fertilizing : With beetroot, you can fertilize with NPK fertilizer or rotten manure by dissolving it with water and then water the plant every 2 months. Note, you only fertilize bulbs that have created leaves on rooted plants, not newly planted bulbs.
Pest problems : Belgium banks rarely encounter pests, however, there is only one pest that you need to pay attention to: slugs. To get rid of them, you should place small beer barrels near the spider lilies. At this time, bury the box in the ground (protruding at least 2 – 3cm from the soil) to keep it steady. The slugs will be sucked into the beer and can no longer damage the tree.
The spider lily is a tree without leaves. The root, or tuber, of this flower is very toxic because it contains lycorin, which damages the nervous system.
Notes when planting and caring for spider lilies
Although it has the meaning of pain and mourning, when growing spider lilies in the house, they carry the meaning of connection between the living and the family’s ancestors. In addition, in terms of feng shui, planting spider lilies in front of the house gate also helps bring good luck to work and life.
Therefore, if you like it, you can still grow this spider lily in your home without worrying about it affecting your family’s destiny.
4 5 beautiful images of spider lilies
Hopefully through the above sharing, you will understand more about the legend and special meaning of the spider lily flower. If you love this flower, you can grow it at home to create beauty for your living space.