How to Grow Daylilies

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Daylily (Hemerocallis)

Daylilies are a clumping perennial with attractive arching sword shaped leaves and tuberous roots. They can be deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen. Plants come in a range of sizes from small to tall, and flower sizes range from miniature to singles or doubles up to 15cm across. Hardy, permanent, and easy to grow, Daylilies are one of the finest investments you can make in long-lasting garden beauty for minimal effort.

Daylilies have an attractive lily-shaped trumpet flower that stands above the foliage. The Flowers come in a wide variety of colours from yellows, oranges, reds, white, pinks, maroons, purples and many gorgeous bi-colours. The flowers may be fringed and some are fragrant.

Most daylilies do exactly what they say, flower for one day only, but don't let that put you off, because new buds keep developing in succession on emergent stalks producing a long run of flowers through summer to autumn. Many have 5-9 flowers from each corymb that open day by day over about 2 weeks before another stem emerges.

Daylilies are a useful plant for herbaceous borders, around water features, grown in containers,  used as a ground cover, on sloping banks or problem areas where little else grows happily. Plant in big drifts across the garden, up the driveway, or flanking a fence. When daylilies planting in a group or border space plants about 50cm apart. In the garden they look good placed in the middle of a garden bed surrounded by perennials in a similar colour scheme.

An easy plant to grow, daylilies are generally trouble free and adaptable to wide range of soils - just plant and forget them. They'll multiply on their own. To plant daylilies dig a hole slightly larger than the root mass, Mound some soil in the centre of the hole and place plant on top. Fill in the hole with the remaining soil so that the crown of the plant is just below the surface, then tamp down firmly. Water, then mulch. Don't overwater while the plant is becoming established.

In summer they like ample moisture while in bloom. Mulch well to provide a cool root run and apply blood and bone, compost and animal manures during spring and summer.

Plants can become overcrowded over time causing the plant to produce fewer flowers. Dig them up every 3 or 4 years and divide the clumps into smaller plants very early in spring or autumn by pulling apart or cutting with a strong bladed knife after shaking off the excess dirt. Not only will you get more plants, but the bloom power will increase after division. Replant the sections spaced 15-20" apart in enriched soil to give a new lease of life.

Daylilies make a good cut flower lasting about a week in a vase or used to add flair to mid to late summer cut-flower bouquets.

In the Kitchen

All parts of the daylily can be eaten even the roots.

- The young leaves can be used in salads and stir-fries.

- The flower buds and blooms can dipped in batter and deep fried.

- The petals tossed in salads provide extra colour, texture and flavour. Thinly sliced flowers with dressing drizzled over them makes a colourful side dish to go with a green salad.

- For a tasty treat try stuffed daylily flowers. Add a little lemon or lime juice and chopped lemon balm leaves to cream cheese. Mix well. Place a little of the mixture onto the flowers, fold over the petals and eat. Pick daylily flowers just before you plan to eat them.

- Add a few daylily flowers to a glass of water and leave for 10 minutes for a refreshing drink.

Garden and Outdoor Living