Daylily

About Daylily

Daylilies are tough, easy perennials; each flower lasts one day, but a clump makes hundreds of buds and blooms for a month or more, and rebloomers like 'Stella de Oro' keep going. They are not true lilies, but they are still toxic to cats. Heads-up: the orange 'ditch lily' (Hemerocallis fulva) spreads by thick roots into roadsides, meadows and stream banks and is listed as invasive in several states, so plant named hybrids instead.

Hardy in zones 3-9. The orange ditch lily, H. fulva, is listed as invasive by Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio and Wisconsin agencies, among others (Invasive Plant Atlas); it spreads by rhizomes, not seed.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Plant divisions in spring or early fall (Virginia Tech says April through September), with the crown no more than 1 inch below the soil. Space 2-3 feet apart, or 15-18 inches for miniatures. Divide every 3-5 years, keeping 2-3 fans per piece (UMN). Clumps reach full size in 3-4 years (Clemson).

Soil

Well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter; it tolerates drought and salt once established (NC State, Clemson).

Follow a soil test every 3-5 years; aim for pH 6-6.5 and work in organic matter (UMN; Clemson).

Feeding

• early spring: compost or manure, or a complete fertilizer such as 5-10-5. A light spring feeding is plenty for average soil (UMN; Missouri); Virginia Tech feeds only if a soil test shows a need.
• midsummer, after the first big flush of bloom (July for everblooming types): complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10. Feed again after the first bloom peak and 6-8 weeks later for rebloomers (Arkansas; Penn State).

Too much nitrogen gives leaves instead of flowers (Virginia Tech).

Harvest

Most bloom in early to midsummer; mixing early, mid and late cultivars stretches the season from May to September. Snap off spent flowers and young seed pods, and cut finished flower stalks down low, so plants put energy into more blooms (Arkansas, SDSU, UMN).

Varieties (24)

Pests to watch for

Thrips, Aphids, Twospotted spider mite, Slugs, Brown garden snail

Diseases and problems

Daylily rust, Leaf streak, Crown rot

In the kitchen

Buds and flowers are edible, raw, fried or dried, and are used in many Chinese dishes (NC State; Virginia Tech).

Keeping it: Pick edible flowers the day you use them; if you must hold them, keep them in a plastic bag in the fridge for a day or so.

Safety: Daylily flowers may act as a laxative or diuretic, so eat them in moderation (NC State).

Pets: Toxic to cats and can be deadly (ASPCA): eating any part can cause vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, kidney failure and death. Get a cat to a vet right away. The ASPCA lists daylilies as non-toxic to dogs.