Sea of red

Little known fact about these flowers is, they are one of the most poisonous flowers on the planet!

Spider lilies? So that is what they are called. I often see them out near my house and people out taking pictures.

Hurrah for Saitama!!!!!

I forget the story but I believe these flowers are linked with death so people don't loike them in their yards, but in the inaka I see them around rice fields & other crops where they obviously were planted & seem to propagate a fair bit.

I like them but the mrs says no not in our yard.....may sneak a few bulbs in & say shoganai!

I forget the story but I believe these flowers are linked with death

In Japanese they're called 彼岸花 (higan-bana), and they tend to be in bloom just around the time of the autumn equinox, traditionally a time for people to visit their ancestral graves. Hence the link with death.

They do propagate quite easily, though the ones we had for years in our garden seem to have been totally overpowered by the blackberry brambles. (花よりだんご/ジャム)

And I've also heard that they are / were frequently planted on the borders of rice fields as a preventative measure against pests like mice & rats. So no coincidence they appear now as rice harvest season approaches

This custom was in the pre-propietary poison days, but has continued as the association with autumn is strong.

Thx Cleo, that was it!

Browny1, interesting, someone else mentioned they are quite poisonous.....