The red spider lily is a sign that autumn has arrived, but in Japan, the higanbana is also known as the death flower. Funerals, graveyards and the afterlife are all connected to this beautiful bloom. The merciful drop in humidity is a welcome sign that after months of discomfort, summer is at last on the wane. However, a far more reliable indicator is the blossoming of red spider lilies. Higanbana to use one of its many Japanese names. Or simply the flower of death.