A note from the Kumamoto International botany desk,

Kirk had posted a few days ago some beautiful photos of spider lilies ("higanbana" 彼岸花); these flowers deserve a bit more attention. They are often found planted both on aze dikes (those separating paddy fields, also called "keihan" 畦畔) and around tombs for reasons we'll discuss below.

First, the plant has evolved an unusual strategy to compete with faster growing plants: It is dormant all summer, allowing farmers to mow down their dikes without harming the plant. It then blooms suddenly in autumn before its leaves sprout; the leaves remain until the following spring. This, combined with its large bulb and extensive root system (the plant is a perennial) make it perfect for stabilizing dikes. Also, the bulb is quite poisonous so is effective at deterring burrowing animals; even grubs and worms avoid it, and their absence deters moles.

Second, the flower has multiple connections with Buddhism. Higan (彼岸), or autumn equinox, also refers to (and literally means) "the far bank," or the other shore of Sanzu River ("sanzunokawa" 三途の川) - akin to the River Styx. As such, it has many other names related to Buddhism, in particular "manjyushage" (曼珠沙華) as it's described in the Lotus Sutra, "shibitobana" (死人花, dead man's flower), "jigokubana" (地獄花, hell flower), and "yuureibana" (幽霊花, spirit flower) - in other words, not the kind of flowers you want to give to a loved one, unless they're dead (or you never want to see them again). The fact that the flower and leaves never meet has led to many legends regarding separation in both China and Japan. This, in addition to the bulb's efficacy at deterring pests, lead it to be planted around tombs and graves.

Our friend Liz Suenaga posted some photos of spider lilies the other day which I am reposting below totally without her permission. (Thanks, Liz! - okay, right?) Here is the link to the Wikipedia page on spider lilies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycoris_(plant)

• William