08/31/2026
Some people call these flowers oxblood lilies, but we like to call them schoolhouse lilies because they bloom at about the same time as school starts.
Bring on the Oxbloods! (Greg Grant, 8-30-26)
Every year, there comes a moment when the worst of summer finally begins to loosen its grip on East Texas. The days grow a little shorter, the mornings become slightly more comfortable, and gardeners begin watching for the first signs of fall. One of the most reliable signals is not a change in the trees, but the sudden appearance of oxblood lilies blooming across select gardens and around some old homeplaces.
Oxblood lilies (Rhodophiala bifida) are among the most beloved heirloom bulbs in Texas. Also known as schoolhouse lilies because they often flower around the start of the school year, these small but striking plants seem to appear almost overnight after a soaking late summer or early autumn rain. Their crimson flowers rise on leafless stems, creating a surprise display that captures the attention of gardeners and non-gardeners alike.
Unlike many flowering bulbs, oxblood lilies have adapted perfectly to Texas conditions. They bloom in early fall, produce foliage during winter, and then retreat into dormancy during the heat and drought of summer. This unusual growth cycle allows them to thrive when many other garden plants struggle.
The bulbs are believed to have been introduced to Central Texas from Argentina by early German Texan plantsman Peter Heinrich Oberwetter. Over time, they spread from garden to garden throughout Texas and beyond. Today, many of the oldest colonies are found around historic homes, country churches, cemeteries, and farmsteads where they have persisted for generations with no fertilizer, no water, and no care.
Part of the appeal of oxblood lilies is their toughness. They tolerate a wide range of soil types, from sandy soils to heavy clays. They are equally at home growing in flower beds, beneath deciduous trees, in open lawns and meadows, or along rural roadsides. Once established, they don’t require watering, fertilizing, dividing, or pest control. In an era when many gardeners are searching for resilient and sustainable plants, oxblood lilies are hard to beat.
Their flowers may last only a week or two, but the bulbs themselves are remarkably long-lived. Clumps gradually expand over time, producing more blooms each year and outliving the gardeners who planted them. Many East Texans treasure the bulbs because they have been passed down through families and friends, making them as much a part of local history as they are a part of the garden.
As we beg for another Texas autumn, keep an eye out for these enduring reminders of our gardening heritage. Whether blooming beside an old farmhouse, scattered across a pasture, or flowering unexpectedly in a front lawn, oxblood lilies remind us that some of the best plants are not the newest introductions. Sometimes the toughest, most dependable flowers are the ones that have been growing here all along.
In addition to generous garden friends, oxblood lilies are available each year through the Smith County Master Gardeners Bulbs to Blooms Conference and Sale (txmgsc.org) and East Texas’ own Southern Bulb Company (southernbulbs.com).
Greg Grant, Ph.D., is the Smith County horticulturist and Master Gardener coordinator for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Tyler. He is the author of Texas Fruit and Vegetable Gardening, Texas Home Landscaping, Heirloom Gardening in the South, and The Rose Rustlers. You can read his “Greg’s Ramblings” blog at arborgate.com, find his “In Greg’s Garden” column in each issue of Texas Gardener magazine (texasgardener.com), or follow him on Facebook at “Greg Grant Gardens” and “Pines, Pawpaws, and Pocket Prairies.” More science-based lawn and gardening information from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service can be found at aggieturf.tamu.edu and aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu or by contacting the Smith County Master Gardener Help Desk at [email protected].
Image caption: The arrival of oxblood lilies in Texas indicate that summer is ending and autumn is beginning.
