Growing Daylilies
Daylilies: A Gardeners Best Friend
By: Jim Talmadge
Daylilies are truly bullet-proof plants as they are most likely the easiest of all perennials to grow. They are resistant to most pests and diseases, they are drought tolerant, and they can take lots of abuse while continuing to happily grow and bloom.
Their genus name, Hemerocallis, means "beautiful for a day" in Greek, hence the name day lily. The blooms only last a day, but thankfully each plant puts forth continuous flowers over the course of several weeks. Some newer varieties, such as Stella De Oro, rebloom throughout the season.
Daylilies originated in East Asia and have been cultivated for thousands of years. They were first mentioned in a Chinese text by Chi Pai in 2697 BC. At that time they were grown as a food source, later used as an herbal medicine for increased willpower, and then for their beauty as a gift. In the 16th century, they were brought to Europe to be traded like tulip bulbs. In the 1920's Dr. Stout of the New York Botanical Garden brought many species to the United States through his associate in China, Dr. Steward. Dr. Stout started modern hybridization and began the knowledge base for growing daylilies today. Now, there are more than 40,000 registered varieties of daylilies in the commercial trade and they come in a vast assortment of colors, sizes and forms.
The colors of the first cultivated daylilies were only yellow, gold or orange, but now hybrids come in a myriad of colors and color combinations. They can be found in shades of almost all colors - red, pink, apricot, tan, purple, near-white and lavender. All colors except pure blue exist, as solid blue is the Holy Grail of daylily breeding and has yet to be attained. The hybrid flowers vary in size by variety and can range from 1 inch to nearly 8 inches in diameter. Varieties like ‘Mini-Stella’ (1" blooms) are considered to be miniatures, other small varieties such as 'Little Business' (3" blooms) are considered small flowered and large varieties like 'Yellow Mammoth' and 'Big Bird' (7" plus blooms) are called giants. Also, flowers of new varieties come in many forms. They can be simple single blooms such as the well known 'Stella de Oro,' double flowers like 'Siloam Double Classic' which can look like a carnation, spiders with elongated petals like 'Spiderman,' or unusual forms (UFOs) such as the recent award winning variety 'Primal Scream.'
Daylilies grow best in full sun, although they will tolerate up to 70% shade. If they are planted in full sun they will have more flower buds, larger flowers, and flowers with more vibrant color. The general rule of thumb is to plant in a location that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day, so as to ensure the daylilies will perform to their full potential. For a more natural look, plant them in masses of one variety for maximum impact instead of randomly mixing varieties through your beds. They can be planted as borders around the edge of beds, along walkways or driveways. Use them as groundcovers to prevent erosion on hillsides and roadways. They can also be mingled amongst other perennials in rock gardens or planted in containers.
Daylilies will tolerate many different soil types from heavy clay to sand, but they do prefer a well-drained soil. You can amend your soil with ground pine bark, sand, mushroom compost, worm castings or gypsum to adjust the soil's ability to drain. For containers, most any soil mix will do. You can plant daylilies most any time of the year as long as the ground is not frozen and can be cultivated, though the best time to plant daylilies is at least one and a half months before the first fall frost. This will allow the new plants time to get established and the new roots will hold better against winter's frost heaving. Also, the plants will have time to multiple and be showier when they bloom the next spring. When planting, space the plants about 18 to 24 inches apart, and about an inch below the crown or the same depth as they were originally planted. At the center of the hole, form the soil into a mound, loosen the roots then drape the roots over the mound. Firm the soil back around the plant, then water thoroughly. Mulch your daylilies with ground pine bark, leaf mulch, pine straw, or pine nuggets. This will help the soil retain moisture, assist in winter protection, and hold down the weeds. In addition, you will want to apply a slow release fertilizer once or twice a year. Use a well balanced fertilizer with trace elements such as 12-8-8 or 19-8-8. Some gardeners and commercial growers also use a liquid water soluble fertilizer such as 20-20-20 during the bloom season and then switch to a 10-30-20 later in the year. Always finish your fertilizations before the end of summer.
With just a few simple cultural practices such as proper watering, mulching, and fertilization your daylilies will be colorful additions to your garden for years to come.
Jim Talmadge