How to Grow Daylilies: The Complete Daylily Flower Guide

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Pixabay
Botanical Name
Hemerocallis spp.
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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Daylilies

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The daylily is an amazingly low-maintenance perennial. It’s virtually disease-free, pest-free, and drought-resistant; it’s also not picky about soil quality. Plus, the flower has a long bloom period! Here’s how to plant and care for daylilies in your garden, as well as how to easily propagate them for more plants!

About Daylilies

The daylily’s botanical name, Hemerocallis, comes from the Greek hemera (“day”) and kallos (“beauty”). The name is appropriate since each flower lasts only one day! However, each scape has 12 to 15 buds on it, and a mature plant can have 4 to 6 scapes, which is why the flower seems to bloom continuously.

Originally from Asia, these plants have adapted so well that many of us think of them as natives. Imagine the excitement of a 16th-century explorer cruising the Orient and finding these gorgeous plants! European gardeners welcomed daylilies into their gardens, and when early colonists sailed for the New World, daylilies made the crossing with them.

Despite their name, daylilies are not “true lilies” and grow from fleshy roots. True lilies grow from onion-like bulbs and are of the genus Lilium, as are Asiatic and Oriental lilies. In the case of daylilies, leaves grow from a crown, and the flowers form on leafless stems—called “scapes”—which rise above the foliage. 

There are thousands of beautiful daylilies to choose from. Combine early, midseason, late blooming varieties, and repeat bloomers to have daylilies in flower from late spring through the first frost of fall. If you see a height listed alongside a daylily variety, this refers to the length of the scape. Some can reach 6 feet tall!

Red daylilies

Planting

When to Plant Daylilies

  • Plant daylilies in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Alternatively, plant them in early fall, at least 6 weeks before the first frost.

Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site

  • Although daylilies aren’t fussy and will survive in less-than-ideal conditions, they will perform best if given full sun and a spot with well-drained, fertile soil.
  • Don’t plant near trees and shrubs that will compete for moisture and nutrients.
  • To increase organic matter, add aged manure or compost to the soil before planting.

How to Plant Daylilies

  • Dig a hole wide enough for the roots to be spread out.
  • The crown of the plant (where roots and leaves meet) should be buried about 1 inch deep. 
  • Fill in the soil, lightly packing it down around the plant.
  • Water until the soil is well saturated.

Growing

How to Care for Daylilies

Daylilies require little to no care and can even survive with neglect, but if you want these flowers to thrive and perform at their best, here’s how to give them a little TLC

  • Water newly planted daylilies once a week until established.
  • Daylilies are fairly hardy and drought-tolerant, so they can survive without watering. However, they prefer about an inch of water per week; normal rainfall will supply much of that amount. If you’re suffering from a dry spell or live in a drier climate, water them, and they will reward you with more blooms. Add mulch around the plant to keep it moist and to help minimize weeding.
  • Daylilies do not require fertilization as long as the soil is reasonably fertile. However, you can encourage stronger bloom performance with a little general-purpose fertilizer (10-10-10) once a year in early spring as new daylily top grow emerges. Spread a handful at the base of each daylily clump and water if dry. If you wish, you could fertilize daylilies a second time after they are finished blooming to help your plants multiply faster in the future.
  • Deadheading is not necessary but you can remove spent blooms to prevent seed production and to encourage more blooming. Just snip off their blossoms as you see them wilting. Most daylilies do not self-sow; you need to divide daylilies to create new plants (see how below).
  • Once all of the flowers have blossomed on a daylily scape, you can cut the entire scape back to the ground right away or in the fall or not at all.  If you do not cut it back, it will simply turn brown and remain standing. 
  • However, in early spring, remove the dead foliage from the previous year’s growth before new growth resumes in the spring. 
  • Add aged manure or compost to the soil around the plants in the spring.

Dividing and Transplanting Daylilies

Daylilies can be aggressive spreaders and will likely require dividing at some point (usually every 3 to 5 years). In addition to controlling their spread, dividing will also reinvigorate plants, resulting in better and more frequent blooms.

To propagate them, divide the daylily clumps in early spring (February through April) or in the late summer to fall after flowering (late July through mid-September) prior to the autumnal equinox. The plants need at least six weeks to get re-established before winter.

Here’s how to divide daylilies:

  1. Though dividing can be done any time the soil is workable, it is best done right after the daylily has finished blooming. Note: The plants need at least 6 weeks to get re-established before winter. 
  2. Dig up the entire root clump. 
  3. Remove as much soil from the roots as possible. Soaking the roots in a bucket of water helps to get rid of excess soil.
  4. Locate the crown of the plant. Starting from the outer edge, break it into smaller clumps (usually 3 to 4 per plant). Each clump should have healthy roots and at least a few leaves.
  5. Cut the leaves back to approximately one-third of their original length (5 to 6 inches, generally). 
  6. Replant and water thoroughly.

Yellow daylily

Harvesting

Using Daylilies as Cut Flowers

Daylilies can make nice cut flowers, especially the heirloom types. Individual flowers last just one day, but buds will continue to develop and open for up to a week indoors.

  • The trick is to cut daylilies with buds that are just about to open, with a bit of the flower color showing. The higher up buds will open as the bottom ones fade.
  • As soon as you get the flowers inside, trim the stem ends an inch or so, making a diagonal cut with a sharp knife.
  • Change the water every few days.
  • Remove the faded flowers daily and new buds will open.
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Wit and Wisdom

  • Daylilies are not native to North America; they originally come from Asia. Explorers brought them to Europe and early colonists subsequently brought them to North America.
  • The common orange-red daylily (H. fulva) that forms brilliant borders along country roads is also called roadside lily, outhouse lily, ditch lily, or tawny daylily.
  • According to weather lore, if a daylily blossom opens later or closes earlier than its usual time (opens at 7:00 a.m., closes at 7:00 p.m.), watch for rain. 
  • All parts of the daylily are edible. The tender foliage can be eaten as a spring green. The buds and flowers can be eaten raw or in soups. The swollen portions of the root can be boiled and eaten. Read more about this below.

Pests/Diseases

Aphids and thrips occasionally feed on the flower buds. Use insecticidal soap or strong sprays of water to keep them at bay.

Cooking Notes

Daylilies are edible and have a long history in the kitchen. The tender foliage was eaten as a spring green, the buds and flowers were eaten raw and added to soups, and the swollen portions of the root were boiled and eaten. All parts have a mild peppery taste and act as a thickening agent when cooked in stews, soups, or sauces.

  • Try sautéeing daylily buds in some butter and garlic. They taste like a cross between green peas and asparagus. 
  • Dip daylily buds in a light batter and deep-fry them. Sprinkle with salt, and you have a special summer treat!
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann