Lycoris ‘Peppermint’ is a naturally-occurring Chinese hybrid Lycoris x incarnata (Lycoris sprengeri x longituba) that has been documented from both Yunnan and Hubei Provinces. Because we are now introducing more clones of this hybrid, we felt it prudent to assign the clonal name Lycoris ‘Peppermint’ to this old pass-along clone, prevalent throughout Texas. Lycoris ‘Peppermint’ produces 20″ tall stalks, starting for us in mid-August with 6-9 frilly white flowers that have a red stripe down the center of each petal. Even before the buds open, Lycoris x incarnata ‘Peppermint’ is truly superb…vaguely reminiscent of a miniature, lacy “milk-and-wine” crinum lily. To flower well, Lycoris ‘Peppermint’ seems to need a dry period during summer months. The foliage on Lycoris x incarnata doesn’t emerge until late winter, making it quite adaptable to much colder climates than the surprise lilies with fall-emerging foliage.
