Daylily (Hemerocallis)
[hem-er-oh-KAL-iss]

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

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