Happy Returns Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Happy Returns')
hem-er-oh-KAL-iss 'Happy Returns'

Deciduous Perennial in the Xanthorrhoeaceae Family
 

About Daylilies

Ah, the old standby, Daylilies! These plants are classic favorites: they are hardy, reliable, profusely-blooming, widely-varied perennials that are (almost) impossible to kill. These plants prefer full sun but can survive in part shade (with fewer blooms).

Little known fact: Daylilies aren’t actually lilies at all (though they used to be classified as Liliaceae)! Their blooms are very similar to true lily flowers, but last only a single day before wilting. What they lack in longevity they make up for in numbers: a single Daylily can produce up to 200 blooms a summer!  The genus nam, Hemerocallis, is derived from the Greek words hemera– day– and kallos– beauty– referring to the fact that each flower only lasts a day.

These plants are available in almost every color, a range of sizes, and staggered bloom times, so it’s quite possible to plant a garden entirely of daylilies and enjoy a huge variety.

Hemerocallis’ leaves are long, slender spears that form a mounded shape, from which tall thin stalks sprout and flower. These stalks can be cut to below the foliage after they are done blooming, but this isn’t necessary to promote flowers. Daylilies grow quickly and need to be divided every few years to stay healthy.

Old-fashioned orange and yellow daylilies have been hybridized to produce modern daylilies in a rainbow of colors and with flowering times from spring through summer.  Plant in full sun to partial shade in well-drained soil high in organic matter.  When planting, cover tubers in 1 inch (2.5 cm) of soil; it is not usually necessary to lift and store them for the winter.  Propagate plants by division in the fall or spring.  These plants are frequently damaged by deer but are highly salt tolerant and easy to grow.  They are excellent to plant along banks and slopes and provide a nectar source for butterflies and hummingbirds.

Pros

  • Thrive in full sun
  • Extremely tough perennial
  • Major variety available
  • Deadheading isn’t necessary to produce prolific blooms

Cons

  • Deadheading spent stalks will prevent the plant from expending energy to produce seed pods (meaning greener, healthier leaves longer into the season)
  • Will grow quickly and eventually limit their own blooms, so should be divided every few years
  • Wilted/brown leaves are quite unattractive at the end of the season
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 12 - 18 inches tall. 12 - 18 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium : Daylilies prefer moist, well-drained soil.
Zones 3a - 9b
Tags Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Container, Deciduous, Drought Tolerant, Extended Bloom Time, Formal Garden, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Mass Planting, Low Maintenance, Medium, Medium, Most Popular, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Reblooms, Semievergreen, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period June to October
Flower Color Lemon yellow
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Heleniums, Geums, Rudbeckia, Salvia
Want More photos of this plant? Try Google Image Search!
 


Pricing and Availability History

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Limited Availability

We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!


Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

The next order is coming up soon. Here's a link to our ordering calendar. Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!


No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!