Day Lily Hemerocallis
Introduction
Enough evergreen selections of this sturdy perennial
are available to provide a brilliant display
of blossoms for much of the growing season
. The large, lily-shaped flowers, in various
colors from pale yellow through orange, apricot,
and deep red, are produced on long scapes
projecting above the clumps of narrow, pale
green foliage. Though often used as an edging
or mixed into borders, Daylily is also well-suited
to groundcover use where its arching, spreading
habit will quickly fill in an area. The thick,
fleshy, moisture-holding roots of Daylily
grab onto the soil, making it an ideal candidate
for erosion control on slopes and banks.
General
Information
Scientific name: Hemerocallis spp.
Pronunciation: hem-mur-oh-KAL-liss species
Common name(s): Daylily
Family: Liliaceae
Plant type: perennial; herbaceous
USDA hardiness zones: 3 through 10
Planting month for zone 9: year round
Origin: not native to North America
Uses: ground cover; border; naturalizing; mass
planting; attracts butterflies
Availability: generally available in many areas
within its hardiness range
Description
Height: 1 to 3 feet
Spread: 1 to 2 feet
Plant habit: upright
Plant density: moderate
Growth rate: moderate
Texture: fine
Foliage
Leaf arrangement: most emerge from the soil,
usually without a stem
Leaf type: simple
Leaf margin: entire
Leaf shape: linear stems
Leaf venation: parallel Current year stem/twig
color: not applicable
Leaf type and persistence: evergreen Current
year stem/twig thickness: not applicable
Leaf blade length: 12 to 18 inches
Leaf color: green
Fall color: no fall color change
Fall characteristic: not showy
Flower
Flower color: red; apricot; yellow; orange
Flower characteristic: spring flowering; summer
flowering; fall flowering; pleasant fragrance
Fruit
Fruit shape: round
Fruit length: unknown
Fruit cover: dry or hard
Fruit color: brown
Fruit characteristic: inconspicuous and not showy
Trunk
and Branches
Trunk/bark/branches: typically multi-trunked
or clumping
Culture
Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part
sun
Soil tolerances: slightly alkaline; clay; sand;
acidic; loam
Drought tolerance: moderate
Soil salt tolerances: poor
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 inches
Other
Roots: not applicable
Winter interest: no special winter interest
Outstanding plant: plant has outstanding ornamental
features and could be planted more
Invasive potential: not known to be invasive
Pest resistance: no serious pests are normally
seen on the plant
Use
and Management
Plant on 12 to 18-inch centers. Growing well
in full sun to shifting shade, daylilies prefer
well-drained, loamy soils and should be well-watered
during periods of bloom, although wellestablished
plants will tolerate drought. Daylilies should
be fertilized periodically throughout the year.
Dig up clumps every few years, divide them and
replant. This thinning procedure will help ensure
continued flowering. There are many, many hybrid
cultivars available, with more appearing all
the time. The cultivar ‘Stella d’Oro’ is
quite popular and produces golden blooms throughout
much of the year in the south. Hyperion’ is
another outstanding selection with fragrant yellow
blooms and very hardy growth. Propagation is
by division of clumps, by seed, or by the small
plantlets which sometimes form on the flowerstalks.
The seed germinates in 20 to 25 days outdoors
or in a cold frame. Though usually pest-free,
aphids will occasionally attack the leaf bases
of Daylily. Flower thrips feed on flower buds
and tips of the branches killing the flower cluster.
The scapes have corky lesions. Mites cause the
leaves to turn yellow and have a dusty appearance.
Heavy infestations form fine webbing. Slugs leave
a slime trail which looks like part of the leaf
was varnished. Use slug baits according to label
directions. In the northern part of its range,
Japanese beetle will eat the leaves and flowers.
Control the larvae in the soil with milky spore
disease.
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot causes black spots on the leaves. Gather
and destroy infected leaves. Russet spot
causes greenish yellow leaf spots which gradually
enlarge and turn orange-brown. Plants growing
in partial shade seem less affected. The
disease is most common on H. fulva rosea
and its varieties. The cause is not known.
by Edward F. Gilman
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