How to Grow and Care for Daylilies

Despite their name, daylilies are not true lilies. True lilies are genus Lilium, and daylilies are genus Hemerocallis. True lilies grow from bulbs; daylilies grow from tuberous roots. Lilies and daylilies are both hardy perennials and bloom at about the same time, in late spring and early summer.

Just like the name implies, daylily blooms last for a single day. In optimal conditions, established plants can produce several hundred blooms over a 30-to-40-day period.

There are three types of daylilies as determined by their foliage:

• Deciduous daylilies lose their leaves after frost and remain dormant until spring.
• Evergreen daylilies keep their foliage throughout the year. These varieties are commonly grown in Southern climates.
• Semi-evergreen daylilies are hybrids of evergreen and deciduous daylilies. The foliage partially dies back each year.

Daylily blooms range in size from small flowers less than two inches up to larger blooms about 8 inches in diameter. The plants range in height from 12 inches to four feet tall.

The flower shapes can be rounded, spider-shaped, star-shaped, triangular or trumpet-shaped. There are double bloom varieties, too.

Daylilies are sold as both bare root and mature plants in containers. There are types that bloom from early spring to late summer. When you choose daylilies based on their bloom time, you can create a garden with daylilies in flower throughout the growing season.

One of the most popular daylilies is Stella d’Oro, a compact variety with yellow flowers that bloom in most zones from spring to fall. Stellas are excellent for mass plantings in a landscape. There are more than 32,000 registered daylily cultivars. Experiment and find the right daylilies for your garden space.

Daylilies need full sun for the best blooms. They can be planted in part shade but do best with midday sun exposure. Do not plant daylilies under a heavy tree canopy. The light will be inadequate, and the plants will compete with the tree roots for moisture.

Like lilies, daylily blooms are popular with deer. If deer frequent your yard, plant the daylilies close to your home or in containers that can be protected with barriers.

For the healthiest plants, daylilies need good quality garden soil enriched with organic matter like compost. When you're ready to plant, loosen the soil and amend with compost and a slow-release fertilizer.

How to plant bare root daylilies:

• Begin by soaking the bare root plants in water for a few hours to rehydrate the roots.
• In the meantime, prepare the soil and dig a hole deep and wide enough for the roots to spread out.
• Place the rehydrated daylily roots in the hole with the crown about an inch below the soil surface.
• Fill the hole with soil, gently firming it around the plant to eliminate air pockets.
• Water thoroughly to settle the soil.
• Finish with mulch around the base to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.

How to plant daylily plants:

• Soak the plant in the nursery container so that it's adequately hydrated.
• Dig a hole as deep as the nursery pot and twice as wide.
• Amend the soil with compost and a slow-release fertilizer.
• Place plant in hole and fill in with native soil, gently firming the soil to remove air pockets.
• Finish with a layer of mulch to help hold in moisture.

Tip: Group daylilies together for high impact, or plant separately to add pops of color through the garden. Follow spacing recommendations on the plant tag.

Daylilies are low maintenance once established. They can be drought tolerant, although foliage may turn brown and they won't bloom as much.

Tips for caring for daylilies:

• Daylilies need water to look their best. Water frequently, especially during times of drought.
• Use an all-purpose fertilizer in spring and fall to maximize blooms and help the plants develop healthy roots.
• When the stems turn brown, pull them out or use your pruning shears to clip them to keep them tidy and encourage new growth.
• At the end of the growing season, trim up the foliage and surround with mulch. In spring, pull back the mulch and treat plants with fertilizer for new growth.

Tip: Prevent problems with deer when you use a deer repellent product. Many are organic and will not harm pets, but are effective at deterring deer.