Daylily Gardening

Daylily Plant Information - Hemerocallis - More than 35,000 different varieties of daylilies have been named. Some species of daylily will remain an evergreen throughout the winter. Well established daylily clumps can produce several hundred blooms in a single season.

The Daylily has Green foliage and conspicuous Orange flowers, with conspicuous Brown fruits or seeds. The greatest bloom is usually observed in the Summer, with fruit and seed production starting in the Summer and continuing until Fall. Leaves are not retained year to year. The Daylily has a Short life span relative to most other plant species and a Rapid growth rate. At maturity, the typical Daylily will reach up to 3 feet high, with a maximum height at 20 years of 3 feet.

The Daylily is easily found in nurseries, garden stores and other plant dealers and distributors. It can be propagated by Bare Root, Bulbs, Container and Seed. It has a None ability to spread through seed production and the seedlings have Low vigor. Note that cold stratification is not required for seed germination and the plant cannot survive exposure to temperatures below -23°F. Daylily has Medium tolerance to drought and restricted water conditions.

Daylilies, or the daylily, are any one of a number of plants in the genus Hemerocallis of the family Hemerocallidaceae. Although commonly know as daylilies, the plant is not a true lily. The name daylily is derived from the Greek meaning day beauty, as the bloom generally lasts no longer than sunup to sunset. Many varieties of the flower are edible. The flowers of certain species are highly prized in Chinese cooking and the tuber roots and the unopened pods can be a food source also.

The flowers consist of 3 sepals and 3 petals and are collectively called tepals. Daylilies can be grown in almost any of the USDA Zones from 1 through 11. Daylilies are one of the most hybridized flowers for the garden, with over a 1000 new hybrids a year. Daylilies are a perennial favorite in gardens as they can withstand harsh winters and hot summers.

The Bed - Daylilies grow best in moist, well-drained soil with full sun in most areas. In hot arid climates, care should be taken to plant the lilies where they are in shade during the hottest part of the day. Daylilies should be planted in soil that has a slightly acidic, high humus or organic matter base. Till the soil before planting and add fertilizer to slightly raise the acidity before planting.

Plant new daylily crowns anytime the soil can be worked. Add manure or compost to the soil and till. Crowns should be planted 1 inch below ground level. Cover with mulch or other organic matter to protect the young crowns from colder weather until the plant is established.

Add additional mulch in the late spring or early summer to reduce weeds growing in the daylily patch. Water the plants if needed to approximate 1 inch of water weekly. Daylilies have few pests, although aphids will occasionally feed on the flowers. These can be removed by using an insecticide soap spray.

Daylily clumps should be dug up and divided every 4 to 5 years. Spent flower heads should be pinched off after blooming to retard seed production and assure an equal or greater amount of flowers the next season.