Frequently Asked Questions
Printable daylily information brochure
Q: What is a daylily? In the last 4,000 years, this wild flower from northern China has come a long way. It has been used in the United States as a roadside plant to hold hillsides in place and along railroad tracks. The ‘ditch lily” has a strong root system and served its’ new home well. Today it is as varied as are gardeners. There are over 70,000 hybrid cultivars registered with the American Hemerocallis Society.
The daylily or genus Hemerocallis is not a bulb. They are
herbaceous perennials that should be started form divisions of
well-formed vigorous plants, purchased from reputable hybridizers or
growers. The first season should produce one or two bloom stems referred
to as ‘scapes’, with 8 to 25 blooms; each bloom lasting one day and
bloom over a period of 10 to 20 days.
If left undisturbed, the plant will multiply and form a clump,
which will increase in size and in number of blooms. After three to four
years, the clump should be divided and replanted in freshly worked and
amended soil.
Q: Why so many types? You can find thousands of registered cultivars to choose from and plant for your area. Each has its’ reason for being registered and named. Each hybridizer works to create what they think is best, unique and distinctive in a daylily and it’s name. The prices of the fans (plant) sold in today’s market range from $1 for a classic to several hundred dollars for one of the newest introductions.
Q: What are the basics of growing daylilies?
A: Daylilies will grow in the hottest sun or partial shade. We do not recommend them in locations where they get less than 6 hours sun, as they will survive but not bloom as well. The best time to plant daylilies in the Gulf South is early spring or in the late fall. Get them in the ground a month to six weeks before severe winter freezes start in your area. If winters are severe, plant evergreen daylilies only in the spring or early summer so they may become established before winter. Early in the spring, you may cut off only the winter damaged foliage before the new growth begins. Most dormant daylily cultivars are not recommended for the tropical climates like southern Florida or the deep Gulf coast.