Daylilies tolerate even poor soil as long as it’s well drained, but they grow best in good, rich, deeply worked soil. Mulch well and water during rainless spells to ensure flower production throughout dry times. Fertilize in early spring and late fall. One regular chore remains. Remove each day’s spent blossoms to keep plants looking tidy. Each one lasts only a day, hence the Latin name Hemerocallis, meaning “beautiful for a day.” Divide in spring or fall if flowering declines.
Daylilies are as tough as iron; they spread quickly but not aggressively and flower freely. They’re not very fussy about growing conditions. Thanks to enthusiastic hybridizers, there are more than thirty thousand varieties in every color, such as this ‘Red Razzmatazz’. Daylilies are often confused with true lilies, which grow from bulbs and have leaves that clothe the flower stem. In contrast, daylilies have fleshy roots and coarse, grasslike foliage that grows directly from the crown of the plant.
Horticulturists consider the daylily one of the backbone plants of a border. Its habit of flowering over a long period makes it invaluable massed in a bed or for use in a mixed planting with other perennials, shrubs, or both. Daylilies make a great ground cover, as their vigorous growth chokes out most weeds. Use them on sunny banks, where their strong roots help hold the soil in place. They can also be naturalized along roadsides and in wild gardens.
ZONES: 3–9
BLOOM TIME: Summer
LIGHT: Full sun
HEIGHT: 24–48 inches
INTEREST: Brilliant blossoms in myriad hues on tidy, easy-care plants