What is the difference between Amaryllis belladona and Lycoris squam.? This came up at a recent garden club member discussion because almost none of these flowers bloomed in Aug., and someone noticed the foliage starting up recently. We have many sites throughout the community where 'Naked Ladies' generally bloom with no human interference. Usually, we have a couple of heavy rains in August, which seems to get them on their way. This summer, we assumed the lack of bloom was due to lack of water during the summer. So were we right, and what is the difference from a gardener (non-botanist) point of view? From Descanso, Ca., in the Southern California foothills - USDA zone 7 or so.