The daylilies are a “sure bet” when it comes to perennials. They thrive in zones 3-9, can handle soils of all kinds with no trouble whatsoever and they don’t get bothered by diseases or pests either!
These flowers will bloom for years on end without your having too much work involved because these lilies come preprogrammed just like we want them – there’s never an unplucked blossom in sight.
Daylilies are a popular choice for many gardeners because their short height and compact blooms make them perfect in any perennial border. Their colors can be used to add interest or simply provide relief from other plants that may overtone the area with too much color throughout summer months, such as herbaceous perennials like lavender.
In groups of 3 or 5, daylilies are ideal for landscape plantings. They’re also the perfect choice as a mass planting along fences and walkways where they’ll form an impenetrable hedge that weed hungry plants can’t penetrate!
How to Select a Daylily
Six species of daylilies are found in the wild and commercially cultivated by home gardeners. Day Lilys include: The ubiquitous pale orange roadside lily (Hemerocallis fulva), night-blooming Hemerocallis citrina ,and fragrant lemon lilias(Helen). Most hybrids that we find on our farms today come from these six plant types/cultivars.
Daylilies are a breeders’ delight with thousands of named cultivars to choose from. Flower colors and scape heights vary considerably, but there’s an assortment for everyone: white flowers in early bloomers; yellow blooms on mid-season plants; pink or purple beauties at the end of summer harvest season!
Early, mid and late flower types allow you to enjoy daylily flowers through most of the summer. If mixed with various heights (or colors), different shapes like open or closed buds offer more variety in your garden!
Horticulturists further divide these plants into some more common categories you may encounter upon getting your daylily plant:
Diploids: Although they are slightly less common, double-flowered daylilies represent the most traditional form of flower. These cultivars have 22 chromosomes in their plants and can be identified by their tall stature with multiple flowers on each stem that open individually instead of at once like tetraploids do.
Triploids: Tetraploids are a rare type of flower that has 44 chromosomes. These beautiful plants tend to be larger, with more intense colors than their diploid counterparts and they often grow sturdier scapes too!
Miniature: Miniature varieties are perfect for small spaces and can be planted directly in the perennial border. They have smaller flowers, so they’re great if you want something that barely takes up any room at all!
Dormant: Dazzling daylilies are perfect for those who want to make their yard look pristine, even when it isn’t. These cultivars grow best in cold climates and will die back to the ground with fall no matter what kind of weather comes around!
Evergreen/Semi-Evergreen: The evergreen/semi-evergreen leaves of some daylily cultivars keep their color all winter in mild regions. These plants are best adapted to warm climate areas, so they do well when grown at higher elevations or near oceanside by the coast where temperatures never drop below freezing during winter months.
Reblooming: Daylilies are beautiful flowers that come in many colors and shapes. One unique feature of day lily plants is their ability to bloom multiple times throughout summer! If you remove any faded flower heads, your plant will likely rebloom with new ones right up until frost time arrives again this year,
Planting Care
Daylilies flower best when planted in full sun (6 hours/day), on moist and well-drained soil. In hot climates, dark colored varieties should receive some afternoon shade to help them retain their color; these plants are otherwise drought tolerant with minimal maintenance required for healthy growth.
Daylilies are such tough plants that they can be planted anytime from spring through fall. Days will tell if this is true for your area as well, but with proper care day lily roots shouldn’t have any problems taking off in the ground!
Amend the soil before planting with compost and space plants 12 to 18 inches apart. Make sure you plant so that your crown is at least an inch below ground level, as this will ensure a sturdy plant! Water well for best results in minimizing weeds from growing nearby; young transplants need plenty of fresh water during their first year, as they are susceptible to weeds!
Daylilies are a forgiving plant and most pests pose little threat. However, recently new rust-like diseases have been spreading throughout county attacking many plants including day lily varieties; to control these ailments keep your area around them open airy with plenty of rainfall or watering when needed by keeping it on track so that they can avoid wilting.
Dividing Daylilies
One of the few routine maintenance chores needed when growing daylilies is dividing them. In most areas, late summer or early spring are best as they will have more time to recover before flowering starts up again after being divided in fall and winter months respectively.
Dig up individual clumps and put them on a tarp. Use sharp knife or spade to separate healthy young plants (fans) with strong root systems, then cut back the foliage immediately after harvesting for an easy replanting process!
You’ll have many extra plants from each clump that can be given away as gifts–or just kept at home for yourself! Discard any small diseased ones so you don’t infect other areas around your garden.
Winter Care
Mulching is an excellent idea for newly planted daylilies in the north. This will help protect them against winterkill and allow you to remove any dead leaves after Spring, unless they were diseased, in that case, remove them in fall.