William Willis Roberts

At a Glance

William Roberts, brother of Frederick Cox Roberts, was a US Navy Officer; he sailed with Commodore Perry to Asia. He returned with bulbs of Lycoris radiata, native to Japan; he reportedly gave his sister-in-law, Lavinia Ellis Cole , some of these bulbs for her extensive New Bern garden, and therefore introduced this plant to the US. The  "spider lily"  as it is sometimes called, became very popular as it blooms in late summer or early fall. There is now a sculpture of the lycoris in New Bern honoring the introduction of this beautiful plant by Capt. Roberts and his sister-in-law, Lavinia. The  "spider lily"  is a staple of the old-fashioned Southern garden and of Japanese gardens.

Biographical Data

Relatives

• Sibling: one brother, Frederick Cox Roberts (1836-1911).
• Other: Lavinia Ellis Cole  (sister-in-law, 1833-1923).