Hemerocallis

( hem - er - oh - KAL - iss )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly known as Daylily, this genus of flowering plants needs partial shade in the warmest climates and regular water. These easy-care beauties come in a variety of colors, with sword-shaped leaves. Plants can be evergreen, semi-evergreen or deciduous. Flowers appear on stems and are held above the foliage clump, fading after just a day. Daylilies are perfect for borders, along driveways, or as groundcovers. All species make wonderful cut flowers. Take care when planting or bringing cut flowers inside for fresh arrangements, as they are toxic to cats.

Hemerocallis Species and Varietals

The genus Hemerocallis is a member of the plant family Asphodelaceae and includes 16 species. Daylilies grow best in USDA hardiness zones 1-11 or Sunset growing zones 1-24, H1 and H2, though this will vary a bit depending on the species. See the descriptions below for more information. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Hemerocallis citrina (Citron Daylily, Long Yellow Daylily)
This species is native to East Asia (China, Japan and Korea), and reaches between 35 and 47 inches tall at maturity, with strappy green foliage. Plants produce very fragrant lemon-yellow trumpet-shaped flowers in June and July. This species grows well in USDA hardiness zones 3-9.

Hemerocallis fulva (Orange Day-Lily, Tawny Daylily, Corn Lily, Tiger Daylily, Fulvous Daylily, Ditch Lily, Fourth of July Lily)
This species of Daylily is grown all over the world as an ornamental plant and is native to Asia. It reaches up to 2-4 feet tall when in bloom. Cultivars include 'Europa' (with large orange flowers with dark red eyes and green throats), and 'Kwanso' (also called 'Flore Pleno'; double-flowering and sterile). They are fast-spreading and will form colonies where they are planted. This species is considered invasive in the eastern half of the United States.

Hemerocallis spp. Hybrids (Hybrid Daylily)
These plants can be evergreen, semi-evergreen or deciduous. Most reach up to 2.5 to 4 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide, though some varieties reach up to 6 feet tall and dwarf types reach 1.5 feet tall and wide. Petals range in appearance and type (double, semi-double and single), and colors include yellow, orange, rust, pink, vermillion, buff, apricot, plum, lilac, cream and white. Flowers often have stripes of contrasting colors and many are dotted with iridescent drops known as 'Diamond Dust'. They typically bloom in mid-spring. Cultivars are listed below:

'Abluted Pink'

'All American Chief'

'Annette'

'Apricot'

'Apple Tart'

'August Pioneer'

'Autumn Minaret'

'Bela Lugosi'

'Black Friar'

'Bright Sunset'

'Caballero'

'Catherine Woodbery'

'Challenger'

'Charles Johnston'

'Cherry Cheeks'

'Corky'

'Country Melody'

'Creepy Crawler'

'Crimson Pirate'

'Dorothy and Toto'

'Fellow'

'Fooled Me'

'Gentle Shepherd'

'Heavenly Angel Ice'

'Heavenly United We Stand'

'Hyperion'

'Iona Pink Promise'

'Joan Senior'

'Karen Sue'

'Kindly Light'

'Lady Elizabeth'

'Lenox'

'Libby Finch'

'Little Grapette'

'Luteola'

'Luxury Lace'

'Mary Todd'

'Mikado'

'Mormon Spider'

'Open Hearth'

'Ophir'

'Pat Mercer'

'Primal Scream'

'Princess Irene'

'Pumpkin Eater'

'Purple Waters'

'Raspberry Lehi'

'Rosalind'

'Rose F. Kennedy'

'Ruby Spider'

'Siloam Merle Kent'

'Siloam Space Age'

'Stella de Oro'

'Webster's Pink Wonder'

'White Eyes Pink Dragon'

'Wineberry Candy'

'Yellowstone'

Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus (Lemon Daylily, Lemon Lily)
This deciduous species is native to China, Slovenia, and northeastern Italy and gets to reach 3 feet tall and wide. Yellow, fragrant flowers bloom in mid- to late-spring on scapes that bear between 3 and 9 blooms each. These plants form large clumps. This species is considered invasive in West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. in the United States.

Hemerocallis minor (Grass-Leaf Daylily, Dwarf Daylily, Small Daylily)
This species, native to eastern Asia, is deciduous and reaches up to 2 feet tall and wide when mature. In late spring or early summertime, fragrant flowers bloom in a golden-yellow color just above the green foliage clump.

Caring for Hemerocallis

Take care when planting Daylilies or bringing cut flowers inside, as they are toxic to cats. Hemerocallis, or Daylily, should be planted in a spot in the garden that receives full sun. Ideally, they prefer to get between 6 and 8 hours of sunlight each day to produce the best and most profuse blooms and foliage. In warmer climates, provide some shade in the afternoon hours when temperatures are the warmest (between 2 and 3 PM generally). If Daylilies are grown in too much shade, they have the tendency to get leggy and will not produce as many flowers. They thrive in all types of soil, as well as it is well-draining and moderately fertile. If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Water newly planted Daylilies regularly to help them develop strong root systems. At maturity, these plants are drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone with a some supplemental waterings in the warmest months of the year. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top inch or two of soil feels dry to the touch. Mulch around the planting area after installing to suppress weed growth, maintain soil temperatures, and increase soil moisture retention.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with a application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. Pruning Daylilies is simple; remove any spent flowering stems back to their base when flowers fade (if you will not be collecting seeds for propagation). In mild-winter areas, leaves will stay on plants year round. In cooler climates, leaves will brown and die back when lower temperatures come around in fall. Any yellowing, brown, damaged, or diseased foliage can be removed at any time. After a few years, these flowers can be divided to improve their health and increase airflow in the planting area. For instructions on how to divide Hemerocallis, see the Propagation section below. These flowers can last for decades in the garden with proper care before needing to be replaced, and will form clumps of new plants over time, providing Daylilies for the landscape indefinitely.

Growing Hemerocallis in Containers
These flowers do well in the ground, but can also be grown successfully in containers. Choose a pot that is at least 10-12 inches wide and deep, and fill with a well-draining but moisture retentive potting soil amended with plenty of organic material and perlite. Apply a layer of mulch to the top of the soil to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Place the container in a space that receives full sun for most of the day with some late afternoon shade. Water Daylilies regularly; those grown in containers will need more frequent waterings than those grown in the ground. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season, and remove spent flower spikes to neaten up the appearance of plants and encourage reblooms. After a few years, these flowers can be divided to improve their health and increase airflow in the planting area. For instructions on how to divide Hemerocallis, see the Propagation section below.

Harvesting Hemerocallis
Take care when bringing cut Daylilies inside the home, as they are toxic to cats. Hemerocallis make handsome cut flowers, adding color and fragrance to bouquets and arrangements. They are typically in season from the middle of spring through early fall. Harvest flowering stems when they have flower buds that are swollen and ready to pop open. The best time of day to harvest cut flowers is in the morning, after dew has dried but before the heat of the day sets in. Make a cut at the base of the flowering stem and drop it into a bucket of cool water. Daylily cut flowers have a vase life of between 7 and 10 days.

Propagation

Hemerocallis can be propagated either by division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Daylily, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Hemerocallis by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-6 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Hemerocallis by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh well-draining soil, compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the root(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section attached.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.

Hemerocallis seed pods form when petals fade.

Hemerocallis seeds are shiny, black, and slightly irregular shaped.

Problems and Pests

Certain species are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Hemerocallis, or Daylily, plants can suffer from issues with the following pests and diseases in the landscape: