Daylilies: Spring Flower Beauties

Daylilies: Spring Flower Beauties

One of the more popular flowering perennials grown in the landscapes of Florida and throughout the Southeast is the daylily.  This blooming perennial traveled with many of the early settlers.  They brought this plant for several reasons beyond the enjoyment of the bloom display, it was considered a source of food by including the petals and buds into the cooking of specific dishes.  

The daylily is an easy to grow plant that requires less management than many of the other perennials grown in the garden settings of the landscape.  Daylilies are linked to the lily family but are not actually in this family, Hemerocallis in Greek is Hemero for “day’ with Callis meaning “beauty”.  The passion by many professional breeders and novice growers can be seen in the many selections and varieties in the plant industry today.  This plant brings interest and joy to anyone that visits your landscape gardens. 

Hemerocallis x 'Mystic Red Dragon'
Hemerocallis x ‘Mystic Red Dragon’. Photo Credit: J. Stephen Greer, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County

This clump forming plant can be grown in different soil types from sandy loam, clay to muck edges near wetlands.  The location for best performance is sandy well drained soil with high amounts of organic matter.  It has a moderate salt level tolerance lending itself as one perennial to consider in coastal settings.  The best way to accomplish the levels of organic matter is to till the bed area for planting, add three to four inches of compost or well-rotted manure plus a ½ pound of 3:2:1 ratio fertilizer to a 100 square foot bed.  The 3:2:1 is a Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium fertilizer recommendation.  Till all of this into the previously tilled bed to a six-inch depth.  This mix of sand or clay with organic matter at the six-inch soil depth places it where the roots will grow.  

Daylilies multiply in several different ways from forming clumps of plants from a single plant over three to four years that can be divided into separate plants and replanted to expand the bed area for managing the color display of the original plant.  Plant breeders cross pollinate between selected plants that have desirable characteristics.  These characteristics may be ruffled outside edges on the petals, bright or daker petal color, a change in color from the outside portion of the flower petal to the throat area at the center of the bloom or even the height of the scape which is the stem that emerges from the leaf clusters near the base that supports the flower display. 

Hemerocallis x 'Oriental Impressions'
Hemerocallis x ‘Oriental Impressions’. Photo Credit: J. Stephen Greer, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Santa Rosa County

Daylilies can be purchased at many box stores in containers and easily transplanted in the garden.  Another option is to visit local daylily nurseries as they often have more named variety options with many different flower colors available.  Local nurseries usually grow plants in the ground so they will need to be dug and purchased as a bareroot. When planting bareroot daylilies look at the location where the leaves emerge near the base just above root area and plant one and a half to two feet apart.  Make sure to plant no deeper than at that point of root and leaf growth area known as the crown.  The crown must be above the soil level for quality growth. 

After planting and watering in the plants be sure to mulch the bed with three to four inches of pinestraw or bark mulch.  This manages weed growth and keeps soil moisture at consistent levels reducing stress to the plant.  If periods of dry weather conditions occur watering the plants will be needed to keep the plants from stressing.

Daylilies

'Wild Wookie' Daylily. Photo credit: Sally Menk, Florida Master Gardener.

‘Wild Wookie’ Daylily. Photo credit: Sally Menk, Florida Master Gardener.

The daylily is a popular flowering perennial with East Asian origins which has adapted well to Florida landscapes. Plants are available in a wide variety of growth habits, flower shapes and colors, including yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, near-white and shades and combinations of all of these.

Flowering starts in March for early-season bloomers with late-season cultivars starting in mid-May. The typical bloom period is about four to seven weeks, although some varieties bloom even longer.

As their name accurately indicates, daylilies are members of the lily family, in the genus Hemerocallis. “Hemero” is Greek for “day” and “callis” for “beauty,” so the scientific name translates to beauty for a day.

'Cajun Dreaming' Daylily. Photo credit: Sally Menk, Florida Master Gardener.

‘Cajun Dreaming’ Daylily. Photo credit: Sally Menk, Florida Master Gardener.

For the adventurous eater, the flower buds and petals of daylilies are edible raw, boiled, stir-fried, steamed, stuffed, or battered and fried. Dried daylily petals, called “golden needles,” are used in numerous Chinese dishes.

Many of the modern varieties of daylilies available today have been developed from native Chinese species. Early settlers from Europe and Asia brought many of the original species with them to America in earlier centuries.

Daylilies grow best in full sun or filtered shade. The darker colored red and purple varieties flourish better in partial shade, while light colored yellows, pinks and pastels varieties need full sun to bring out their best colors. The filtered light level under pine trees is ideal for growing daylilies. Heavy shade should be avoided because it will cause thin, spindly growth and poor flowering.

'Bold Move' Daylily. Photo credit: Jaci Zwierzchowski, Florida Master Gardener.

‘Bold Move’ Daylily. Photo credit: Jaci Zwierzchowski, Florida Master Gardener.

The soil of daylily beds should be topped with three to four inches of organic matter, such as peat, compost, or well-rotted manure. The amended soil should be mixed or tilled, leveled and then moistened. The soil pH should be between 6.2 and 6.8, with 6.5 being optimal.

Daylilies survive dry conditions well because of their extensive root systems. However, the number and size of blooms, plant growth, and overall vigor can be adversely affected by prolonged drought.

Daylilies multiply fairly rapidly and plant division is an easy way to propagate them for new locations in the home landscape or to share with friends. Division is best done immediately after the flowering season. Dig the entire clump and shake or wash off the soil without damaging the roots. It is easy to see where the divisions can be made with smaller clumps being easily pulled free to establish a new planting.

The home gardener can expand and share the beauty of these perennials, only spending a little time to accomplish this feat.

To learn more:

Daylilies for Florida

 

Divide Perennials in the Fall

Divide Perennials in the Fall

After a few years, many perennial plants have grown so large that they need to be divided in order to be revived. Overcrowding causes them to bear fewer flowers and, sometimes, to die in the center. Fall is a good time to divide perennials that bloom in spring and summer and are now done blooming for the year. This is a great way also to expand your perennial beds or share some of your perennial favorites with friends and neighbors.

Vibrant blue Stokes' aster. Photo credit: UF/IFAS.

Vibrant blue Stokes’ aster. Photo credit: UF/IFAS.

Some examples of perennials to divide in the fall are:

  • Stokes’ aster, Stokesia laevis
  • Daylily, Hemerocallis spp.
  • Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta
  • Yarrow, Achillea millefolium
  • Crocosmia, Crocosmia spp.
  • Flax lily, Dianella tasmanica ‘Variegata’
  • Liriope, Liriope muscari
  • Cast iron plant, Aspidistra elatior

The first step is to dig out the entire clump. If there is enough clearance in the garden bed, start digging about six inches out from the plant and dig straight down beyond the root zone. It’s best to get as much of the roots as possible to lessen the shock of transplanting. If the clump is too heavy to remove, make your divisions right there with a sharp blade, trowel or shovel. Often, you can just pull them apart with your hands.

Before replanting the divisions, consider adding some nutritious compost to those areas of your garden bed to ensure healthy plants. Be sure to replant as soon as feasible to protect the roots from drying out. After replanting, water the transplanted divisions well and mulch appropriately.

To explore further please see:

Gardening with Perennials in Florida

Propagation of Landscape Plants