Daylily (Hemerocallis)

Written by: Wanda Simone | Last Updated: May 7, 2024

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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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