Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Written by: Wanda Simone | Last Updated: May 7, 2024
Blooming in many beautiful colors from late spring to summer, Daylilies draw butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, while being rabbit and heat resistant. The perfect perennial for your garden border.
Plant snapshot
Scientific name: Hemerocallis
Plant type: perennial
Zone: 3 to 9
Exposure: sun, part shade
Height: 12″ to 36″
Width: 24″ to 36″
Bloom time: late spring to summer
Flower color: purple, pink, orange, red, yellow, white, peach
Daylilies (Hemerocallis) really are a “plant and forget” flower which is why they are one of my favorite full sun perennials.
As the name suggests, each bloom only lasts a day. But they make up for it…one plant can produce 300 to 400 flowers in a season.
They come in many different plant sizes and flower colors.
And different varieties have different bloom times. So you can get a longer flowering period in your garden by selecting them to bloom one after the other.
Some of the newer varieties also re-bloom. Make sure to remove old flowers to encourage new ones in these plants.
Hemerocallis is heat- and drought-tolerant, attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, and rabbits usually avoid them. They are a favorite of deer, however.
They will grow in almost any soil as long as it drains well.
Plant so the crown (where the roots and foliage meet) is no deeper than 1 inch below the surface of the soil.
Daylily characteristics
Daylily blooms
Flower color: purple, pink, orange, red, yellow, white, peach
Bloom time: late spring to summer
Other information: long blooming
Hemerocallis Foliage
Leaf color: green
Leaf shape: grass-like
Daylily planting & care
Water: drought tolerant once established
Pruning: Deadheading the flowers makes the plant look neater and can encourage more blooms.
Fertilizing: Daylilies generally do not need fertilizing. But if you do want to give them a boost, use a slow-release fertilizer in the spring.
Hemerocallis benefits & issues
Resistant to: rabbits, heat
Attracts: butterflies, bees, hummingbirds
Landscaping uses: mid border, cottage garden
Growth habit: easy to grow
Potential issues: deer like them
More information
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