Red Oxblood Lily, Also Known As Schoolhouse Lily

 

 

                                     

Over the weekend I along with my younger sister traveled to West Texas to visit Family. While there, we stayed with one of our older sisters and I tell you, we had a great time. When another sister drove in from Austin, the fun was on.  We got up that Saturday, ran errands for our Mother, came back to the house. I needed a drink, so I walked over to her kitchen sink to get a drink of water, and happened to look out the window and spotted this beautiful red flower.  I asked my sister what type of flower it was, but she said she didn’t know and thought it was just a weed. She then said she has always allowed her lawn man to mow it down.

One of our nephews volunteered to take pictures of it, and we took to Google to see if we could find out what it was. I also asked friends on Facebook.  It was so neat, I was getting answers like Naked Ladies, one friend said I don’t know but it looks like some type of lily, another friend said Amaryllis, someone asked if the leaves were fat or skinny.  My reply was that it doesn’t have any leaves, two friends stated that they call them Surprise Lilies because after a good fall rain, they just pop up with no leaves or warning and it’s always a surprise.  The answers were all good answers but when I found the true answer on Google,  the Red Oxblood Lily or also known as the Schoolhouse Lily. Although I have never heard of this flower, I find it strange looking with no leaves, but at the same time beautiful, and can see how its name came to be.

I told my sister not to let the guys mow it down and I will help her create a flower bed and replant it there.  We hadn’t been out in the backyard at that time, but I happened to open the back door so my grandson and my nephews could take the trash out for their aunt, that’s when I noticed two more lilies. They were just in various places in her yard that you couldn’t see when looking out the kitchen window. One is in the middle of the yard, which is the one I saw first, the second one is right at her back door so when she opened the door she wouldn’t miss it, and the third one is over near her fenceline. It sure is funny how you can stumble upon some of the most fascinating things in your own backyard or a family member’s backyard. 🙂