Day lilies are a garden favorite. Their name can also be spelled “day lily” or “daylily” depending on where you are. We prefer “day lily” but that’s just a personal choice, so do what you want. We also have preferences for some of the many colors these wonderful flowers produce, but we’ll save that for another time because this article was inspired by one of our readers and we’d like to focus on her question. Aprille recently asked us “Are day lilies a bulb and are they supposed to bloom all summer” and we thought that would be a great starting point for an article about these beautiful garden staples. So, join us as we learn a bit more about day lilies. Let’s dig in!
A quick warning: while they are safe for people, including children, day lilies are toxic to cats and dogs so please consider that when selecting them for your garden space!
Gardzen Executive Summary
· Day Lilies/Daylilies aren’t true lilies, but rather members of the family Asphodelaceae.
· This means they’re more closely related to aloe plants than to lilies!
· Day lilies are native to eastern Asia, where they have grown wild for millennia and been cultivated by humans for centuries.
· These hardy but beautiful plants come in thousands of varietals, in so many colors.
· They can be grown in most places, including in containers.
· Day lilies can and will grow wild in many different environments.
What are Day Lilies/Daylilies?
Well, let’s start with something that surprised us: day lilies are not, technically, lilies. Rather they’re members of the family Asphodelaceae, meaning that they’re more closely related to asphodels (duh) and succulents including aloe. The moniker “day lily” comes from the flower’s resemblance to the true lily family. Day lilies are all of the genus Hemerocallis, so look for that on labels to positively identify plants you may be purchasing.
All Hemerocallis species are native to Eurasia, with most of them originating in eastern China, Korea, Japan, and parts of Siberia. Naturally beautiful, these plants quickly came under human cultivation and have been grown in gardens for centuries, producing thousands and thousands of different cultivars. Their beauty also led gardeners to spread the around the world, and they’re now grown on every continent except Antarctica.
To answer part of Aprille’s question, day lilies grow from rhizomes, not bulbs. This is part of why they’re so successful as a perennial; the rhizomes spread and grow beneath the soil and help to ensure that the day lily returns year after year. The result is a beautiful plant, with long thing green leaves and a tall stem topped with a beautiful flower or flowers. The flowers come in an impossibly wide variety of colors and shades, but most Hemerocallis flowers have three true petals with three smaller sepals, which form from the outer protective layer fo the bud. Sometimes the petals and sepals are the same color, sometimes not; this is part of the magic of day lilies. To answer the rest of Aprille’s question, day liles do bloom over a period of time, and some varietals will bloom all season long! There are both day-blooming and night-blooming varietals as well, so those of us with night gardens can add some variety to our spaces.
How to Grow Day Lily at Home
Unlike many flowering decorative plants, day lilies are hardy, with one popular varietal (Hemerocallis flava) earning the nickname “ditch lily” due to its propensity for thriving without human care in just about any stretch of dirt that will have it.
While tough, however, day lilies do have their own needs and preferences. They do prefer full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Some shade in the hottest parts of the day actually helps keep the flowers fresh and extend the life of the blossoms, so bear that in mind when selecting a site or arranging for sun protection. While Hemerocallis species do prefer moist, well drained, and slightly acidic soil rich in organic matter. These are fast spreading and relatively heavy feeding/drinking plants, so it’s probably best to give them a space of their own. If planted near trees and shrubs, day lily has a tendency to compete for resources in a way that’s detrimental to all plants involved.
Planting day lilies is a fairly straightforward process: ensure that the soil is prepared by tilling or turning in good compost and add a slow release fertilizer designed for perennial flowers. Dig a hole in this rich soil mix that’s deep and wide enough to avoid crowding the roots while allowing the crown of the plant to be about 1 inch/2.5 cm below the surface. Gently situation the plant at the right depth and position, and then carefully backfill the hole with the enriched soil mix. Pack the soil lightly and gently and then give the plant a long deep watering to help avoid transplant shock and settle the remaining soil. Top up the hole as needed if the level around the plant and roots starts to drop. That’s really all there is to it! Mature plants can be divided by digging up the whole plant and then carefully breaking the rhizome apart or splitting it with a clean sharp tool. Replant one portion, and then plant the other someplace else—or give it to a friend!
And for our container gardeners: yes, day lilies grow quite happily in containers! We do recommend not skimping on container size; one gallon would be the smallest and we’d recommend 2-, 3-, or 5-gallon containers depending on space and need. Container-grown day lilies, like most container plants, may require a bit more protection from sun and cold as well as more frequent watering, but they tend to thrive just as well as their in-ground counterparts.
Beauty that Thrives Almost Anywhere
Day lilies are really something special. They’re beautiful but natural, carefully cultivated yet wild. They have a long history and much-deserved popularity, and we’re so grateful we got to learn a bit more about them. We’ll be adding more to the Gardzen Test Gardens for the spring, and we’d LOVE to see photos of yours if you have any to share. Send them via email and let us know about your day lily stores and experiences in the comments section. Gardzen is all about community and we love to hear from you!
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