Hemerocallis/Daylilies

This tough-as-nails plant has progressed far beyond the common orange "ditch lilies" to the now over 50,000 registered varieties in all sizes, shapes and colors. And while it's true that each bloom only lasts one day, a good-sized clump will produce a surprising number of flowers in one season (I've read claims of 300 per clump!)  And by choosing varieties that are early, middle and late bloomers, gardeners can extend the season considerably.

My only complaint about these impossible-to-kill beauties is their less-than-stellar foliage.  As a plant, they don't have much impact in the garden when they're not blooming, so it helps to tuck them between more substantial plants (like shrubs, or shrub-like perennials) or mass them where they're seen from a distance. Some of the better performers have been selected and branded as Trophytakers, which have performed very well in my garden.

Daylilies are native to much of Asia, where written records mention them as far back as the time of Confucius.  They were brought to North America by the earliest settlers.

Details

• Long-lived.
• Hardy to Zones 3-9.
• Sun-loving but shade-tolerant.  Pastels perform better with partial shade.  In full shade daylilies will survive, but won't bloom.
• Their thick, fibrous roots make for both easy shipping and drought tolerance.
• They're tolerant of salt spray.
• They'll even grow near black walnut.
• Severe extremes of hot and cold are no problem for them.
• I've never heard of daylilies being noticeably bothered by insects or disease.
• They're unrelated to Easter lilies or any other lilies.

Care

• During daylily bloom season I walk the garden to see what's blooming each morning and I snap off the old flowers while I'm at it.  This deadheading is reported to help the reblooming varieties rebloom, but I do it with all of them because I don't like the look of mushy old flowers when they're seen up-close.
• In late summer the foliage is dead enough to be lifted by hand.  You can also shear the whole plant after blooming is over, and new foliage will appear.
• Repeat bloomers benefit from being divided every 2 years; others need dividing every 5 years or so.   Divide in late summer/fall - just dig up the whole clump and pull the sections apart.
• Repeat bloomers ('Stella de Oro,' 'Happy Returns') also benefit from fertilizer in spring and summer and deadheading.

Good Information in Print

• The Well Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust is the best-selling book on how to make your perennials healthier and better-looking.
• Encyclopedia of Perennials by Graham Rice is exhaustive and an outstanding general resource on the subject.
• The Complete Flower Gardener by Cutler and Ellis is another source I consult regularly.

 

<site by Better Endeavor>

all content and photos are © Susan Harris unless specified otherwise