Hemerocallis (Daylily) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Hemerocallidaceae, comprising thousands of species, hybrids and cultivars. It has more than 60,000 registered cultivars. It is native to Europe, China, Korea, and Japan.
Hemerocallis is an evergreen, semi-evergreen and herbaceous perennial with large showy flowers. The flowers of most species open at sunrise and wither at sunset, replace by another one on the same stem the next day. Some species are night blooming and only a few cultivars are scented. Hemerocallis is good in mixed borders, wild gardens and containers. The flowers of some species are edible and are used in Chinese cuisine. They are sold fresh or dried in Asian markets as golden needle or yellow flower vegetables. They are used in hot and sour soup, daylily soup, Buddha's delight, and moo shu pork. The young green leaves and the tubers of some species are also edible. The plant has also been used for medicinal purposes. Care must be taken as some species can be toxic.
H. 'Cartwheel', 75 cm high and across, has star-shaped, yellow-orange flowers.
H. 'Prairie Blue Eyes' , 70 x 75 cm, has lavender flowers.
H. 'Root Beer', 1 m high and across, has red-black flowers.
Plant Hemerocallis in sun, in fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Propagation is by seed or division in spring or autumn. Pests and diseases are aphids, thrips, slugs and snails, crown rot and rust.
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