Daylilies - Tough but Beautiful

Daylilies or Hemerocallis, are in the liliaceae family and are sun-loving perennials except for in the hottest zones, where some afternoon shade is needed. Their large clumps of sword-like leaves are the perfect offset to leafless stems with clusters of beautiful tropical-looking blooms at the end. Some daylilies are deciduous and go completely dormant in the winter, while others are evergreen. They need some chilling in the winter to bloom well later, and may need a protective mulch over the winter if the temperature dips to - 20 degrees Fahrenheit--so make sure you read up on the varieties before purchasing.

Now, daylilies come in hundreds of colors and patterns in both tall and dwarf varieties. They are great in borders, as a mass on banks under high-branching trees, along driveways or other paving, and around pools. They can also spice up rock gardens with bright colors and make a nice edging to low-lying ground covers. If you are looking for great cut flowers, daylilies are a good choice. You can cut them with tall stems and buds about to open and enjoy them day after day as each bud opens, or you can float individual blooms in low bowls of water.

Daylilies are tough and trouble free. They adapt to most types of soil and you can set out bare root plants any time during the growing season though spring and summer are better if you are in cold winter zones and fall and winter are better if you are in a warm winter zone. For best results, give them well-draining soil amended with organic matter and water regularly from spring through fall. If clumps become crowded divide them in fall or early spring if you are in a hot-summer area and during the summer if you are in a cool summer region with a short growing season.

Daylilies grow in zones 1-24 except for a couple of hybrid varieties. Once they start blooming, remember to deadhead spent blossoms. True to it's name "beautiful for a day" your garden will look better if you snap of the old blossoms at the stem as it fades. When all the flowering is finished, cut back the entire stem to the basal foliage. This will keep the plants looking good and encourage repeat blooming. Daylilies like to be fed twice a year, in spring and in summer. You can dead-leaf when the foliage starts to look faded or yellowing.