In the past week or so, you might’ve noticed a sudden preponderance of pinkish-purple perennials blooming on street corners, rural fields, strip mall flower beds, and, well, everywhere.

No, they weren’t planted by an eager late-night landscaper. They’re surprise lilies, — also known as magic lilies, resurrection lilies, ghost lilies, sesame lilies, naked ladies, or their scientific name, lycoris squamigera — a perennial native to Asia that blooms in the late summer to early fall every year. As its many names suggest, the flower’s charm lies in its ability to crop up seemingly out of nowhere — so much so that even homeowners like the Herald-Times’ crime reporter Laura Lane might forget that they exist on their lawns.

Whether you’re a homeowner who was pleasantly surprised by the lily’s

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