Yes, this title is cheeky, but it’s true.  It’s no secret I like Naked Ladies.  Last fall, I admitted it.  At the time, I was referring to Colchicum.  The common name made sense to me because the flowers & stems appeared so naked without the leaves as to clothe them.

Recently, while travelling in northern California, I learned that common name Naked Ladies can also refer to Amaryllis belladonna.  Through the countryside, even in ditches & deserted farmyards, these Naked Ladies danced happily while everything else seemed to have died back from dehydration.  Wow.  I figure they’re very sun & drought tolerant of thriving in those places.

There’s a very similar pink flower that also blooms in the fall:  Nerine Lily.  Apparently, it’s also part of the Amaryllis family, but the flowers aren’t naked; the leaves show up along with the blooms.   I thought I’d identified some Nerine Lilies in our neighbourhood last year, but now I’m not so sure. Some leaves are showing, but not many.  Nerine?  Naked Ladies?  It’s tricky.

This lovely patch of pink blossoms is in a yard along Mayfair Drive on Mt. Tolmie.  What’s especially impressive is how well they’ve stood up through the torrential rains of the past week!  Wow!  Sun & drought tolerant… deer resistant… and downpour durable!

Just imagine, Naked Ladies dancing in the rain.    Woo hoo !!
🙂

PS – Last night chatting with a couple of Garden Club ladies, a couple other fall-blooming, pink flowers were mentioned.
SK recommended Schizostylis (Kaffir Lily)  from the Iris family. (aka Hesperantha)
JJ recommended Crinum from the Amaryllis family.

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Here are some other pink autumn bloomers:

• Pink as a Fall Color? – Colchicum
• 5 More Shades of Pink
• Horray for Naked Ladies – Nerine
• November’s Pink: Hesperantha
• Back From the Dead – Amaryllis belladonna
• Apple Blossom Camellia

© SVSeekins and Garden Variety Life, 2013