Daylily
by CMG Kathleen S.
“The daylily flings its beauty out into the world for one single day . . . but is loved and anticipated all the more because of it.” – Katherine Sparrow
Photo from Georgia Dept of Tourism
In South Texas, the daylily is a highly prized, beautiful flowering perennial with the ability to withstand drought, high heat and resist pests. The Botanical name is hemerocallis which means “beauty for a day”. Daylilies are not true lilies, though they look like lilies and act like lilies. Lilies have bulbs while daylilies have root systems. Daylilies are members of the asphodelaceae family. Aloe and red hot poker plants are relatives.
Photo from CMG Kathleen S.
Native to China, Japan and Korea, daylilies were brought into Europe during the 1500’s. A reference to a “cluster of lavish bell-shaped flowers” can be found in a 1597 English journal. The Victorians used daylilies in their language of flowers to mean “flirtatious” because the blooms last 0nly a day. There are around 62,000 named daylily varieties in a multitude of colors and physical characteristics. Many colors that include tomato reds, oranges and pastels are grown. The two-tone orange color daylilies are often seen on the side of the highways. The only colors not known to exist are green and blue. Blooms can be from 2 1/2 inches to more than 12 inches across. Some blooms can resemble a spider while others have ruffled edges.
Photo from CMG Kathleen S.
When selecting daylilies to plant, consider choosing a variety of blooming times from early to late-summer. Extra early bloomers are from March into April. Early bloomers flower 3 to 5 weeks before May. Mid-summer bloomers peak in May and late bloomers flower 4 to 6 weeks after.
Reblooming daylilies will bloom once in the spring and again in the fall. Or, they will have continuous blooms throughout spring, summer and into the fall. Daylilies will grow in poor soil, but they do prefer slightly moist soil with plenty of compost. They can be planted as a bareroot plant and are called “fans”. Whether planting “fans” or from a pot it is important to cover the roots and the “crown” of the daylily with about 1 inch of soil. The “crown” is the part of the plant above the roots that is whitish to light green in color. After planting, water until the soil is well saturated and use a liquid fertilizer according to its directions. Water newly planted daylilies once a week until established then an inch of water per week if it doesn’t rain. Add mulch around the plant to keep it moist and to help minimize weeding.
Thrips and aphids can be a problem. Thrips resemble fleas and can be seen moving along the foliage. Aphids may not be visible. Use Orthene starting in mid- January. An alternative is to use an insecticidal soap or neem oil. Deer can be a problem; daylilies are not deer resistant.
While daylilies do require 6 hours of sunlight each day, it is important to have them planted so that they are getting full morning sun and partial shade in the afternoons. The South Texas afternoon sun can bake a daylily.
Plan to divide daylilies every 3 to 5 years. Daylilies will form clumps and as the clumps get larger; the blooms will be fewer and fewer. The entire root system should be dug up; as much as is possible. Separate the roots so that there are 3 “fans” of leaves for each healthy set of roots. A sharp garden knife will help separate the roots. Next, cut the leaves back. Replant your divisions immediately, water and fertilizer. Division is best done in the early Spring or Fall once the temperatures have cooled down. If you are unsure how to do this, watch the following YouTube videos: Family Plot or Better Homes and Garden.
The terms “Diploid” and “Tetraploid” are also used with daylilies. Both terms refer to the number of chromosomes in each cell of the plant. Diploid means there are 2 identical sets of chromosomes and tetraploid means there are 4 identical sets of chromosomes. Why the interest? Because some growers insist the best pink daylilies are diploid with beautiful blooms based on color and form. Most spider and double bloom daylilies are diploid.
Tetraploids are believed to have more vivid colors and larger blooms with more robust growth. Diploids can only be bred with other diploids and tetraploids with other tetraploids. More information can be found on the American Daylily Association website and the National Gardening Association Daylily Database.
It is important to mention that it is prudent to cut off the spent blooms but do not cut the “scapes”. Scapes are the thick, tall stems supporting the blooms. Wait until the scapes turn brown and can be gently pulled from the plant by hand.
Daylilies are a nature friendly way to control erosion because of their thick network of roots. They can also tolerate being planted close to streams and ponds, but they do not like having wet feet.
Sources: petalrepublic.com; aggie-hort.tamu.edu; miraclegro.com; almanac.com; gardeningknowhow.com; cottageinmeadow.plantfans.com