All About Daylilies
True to their Greek name for "beauty" and "day," the blooms of daylilies (Hemerocallis) only last for one day. But don't worry about the short-lived blossoms. Thankfully, today's blooms will be replaced by new ones tomorrow. The normal blooming season is between 1-5 weeks. By planting several varieties, you can have a multitude of blooms from spring into fall. Even when they're not in bloom, the graceful, grass-like foliage is appealing on its own.
Daylilies have been a part of the American landscape for many years. When the first colonists arrived, they brought with them the familiar yellow and orange varieties we still see today. Those original plants have been cultivated into over 10,000 cultivars with blooms in practically every color imaginable. The height and size of blooms also vary, from foot-tall dwarfs to 4-foot hybrids. Blooms range from 3 to 8 inches across, and the petals may be ruffled or smooth.
The foliage yellows and dies as cold weather arrives or stays green all year in warmer climates, based on the variety. Daylilies grow well in zones 3 to 9. Learn Your Hardiness Zone to Find the Best Plants for your area.
Planting and Caring for Daylilies
Daylilies have been given the nickname “perfect perennials” thanks to their vibrant colors, drought and frost resistance, hardy climate adaptability and low maintenance needs. Lean about how to plant daylilies and daylily plant care.
Planting Daylilies
Before planting daylilies, either in the ground or in a planter, there are a few terms to learn. The crown is the area where the leaves meet the roots. The scape is the stalk where the blooms are. Daylily blooms are various shapes, differing by cultivar.
How to Plant Daylilies In the Ground
In general, daylilies prefer full sun and well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic soil. Some varieties benefit from partial shade. In general, space plants 18 to 24 inches apart. General points are below, but always follow your specific variety's planting instructions.
- Dig a hole 12 inches deep and add organic matter.
- Create a cone of soil in the planting hole and place the daylily on top. Daylily roots are fibrous and need to be spread out when planting.
- Plant with the crown 1 inch below the soil surface.
- Firm the soil and water thoroughly.
Planting Daylilies in a Planter
If you are planning to grow daylilies in a planter or indoors, you should place the seeds in soil into a black plastic bag. Place the bag in the fridge for about six weeks. After that time, the seeds should then be kept at 59 to 68 degrees F. Seeds normally take about two to seven weeks to reach germination.
When to Plant Daylilies
Spring and fall are the best planting times. Daylilies require little special care to perform well, but with some extra attention, they can be truly spectacular.
Depending on your growing location, daylilies should be planted in a sunny or partially shaded area. If you are in a cooler climate, plant in full sun. In warmer locales you should plant in partial shade.
Your planting soil should be rich and moist with a somewhat acidic to neutral pH balance, preferably 5.5 to 7pH. The soil should be able to drain well. Be sure to water regularly but avoid potential waterlogging.
Caring for Daylilies
If you ask when do daylilies bloom, they flower from mid-spring to early autumn, depending on the species. An early and late season feeding keeps them going strong. Feed twice a year: once in spring prior to blooming and again a few months later during the blooming season. Mulch once in summer to conserve moisture and again in winter for protection from freezing.
Knowing when to trim daylilies will help growth and also provide a neater look to your blooms. To encourage increased flowering, deadhead to remove spent blossoms that don't drop off on their own. Cut off the stems at ground level when blooming stops, taking care not to damage the crown.
Propagating Daylilies
After a few years, daylily blooms may start to diminish. Daylilies need to be divided when growth in the center begins to slow and clumps of growth occur along the outside ring of the plant. Dividing promotes renewed blooms and prevents crowding, plus you get more plants.
Divide the plants in early spring or fall. The key is to do it when there's still a period of mild weather (not too hot or too cold) so that they have time to get established before the heat of summer or the first frost of autumn.
Here are some tips to remember:
- Carefully dig the plants up with a garden fork (instead of a shovel, which might cut the fibrous roots). The fork tines help the roots come up intact.
- Separate the clumps by hand or pry apart with a garden trowel or knife. When you divide a plant, each division needs at least two of the fan-shaped leaves and an intact root section.
- Instead of shaking soil free from the plant, hose the plant down gently to see its roots. Hosing is gentler on the plant, and it will appreciate the extra moisture as it's being transplanted.
- Trim the leaves to six to eight inches above the crown.
- Plant each division as you would a newly purchased daylily, with the crown about an inch below the soil surface.
To remove daylilies from areas where they aren't wanted, make sure you dig up all of the roots. Any small bulblets that remain in the ground will become new plants.