🌸 Daylily
Hemerocallis spp.
flowers herbaceous perennial
D
☀️ Sun
Full sun to partial shade (minimum 4–6 hours for best bloom)
💧 Water
Low–medium; drought-tolerant once established; more water during bloom season increases flower count
🗺️ Zones
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
🪴 Soil Type
Adaptable; tolerates most soils from sandy loam to clay if well-drained; benefits from organic matter
🧪 Soil pH
6.0–7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
💧 Drainage
Well-drained; tolerant of occasional wet feet but not permanently soggy
📏 Spacing
18–24 inches apart
📐 Height
1–4 feet (depending on cultivar)
📅 Days to Maturity
Blooms first year from divisions; 2–3 years from seed
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ ["Flower buds (stir-fried🍽️ tempura🍽️ soups \u2014 \"golden needles\" in Chinese cuisine)"🍽️ "Young shoots"🍽️ "Tubers (cooked)"]
🤝 Companions (8)
🤝 Coneflower (Echinacea)
Coneflowers and daylilies bloom together in midsummer; both drought-tolerant prairie-style perennials attracting pollinators.
🤝 Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Black-eyed Susans and daylilies create classic summer perennial borders; both tough and sun-loving.
🤝 Ornamental Grass
Ornamental grasses provide texture contrast with daylily's strappy foliage; deep roots don't compete.
🤝 Russian Sage
Russian sage's airy purple blooms complement daylily flowers; both thrive in hot, dry, sunny conditions.
🤝 Salvia (Perennial)
Salvias bloom simultaneously with daylilies; attract hummingbirds while daylilies provide bold flower mass.
🤝 Shasta Daisy
Shasta daisies and daylilies are classic cottage garden companions; white daisies contrast with colorful daylilies.
🤝 Sedum (Upright)
Sedums provide late-season interest after daylilies finish blooming; both extremely drought-tolerant.
Lavender and daylilies share love of full sun and well-drained soil; lavender repels pests with silver foliage contrast.
⚠️ Keep Apart (4)
⚠️ Aggressive tree roots (Maple/Willow)
Daylilies struggle with shallow aggressive tree roots; bloom count drops significantly.
⚠️ Creeping Charlie / Ground Ivy
Creeping charlie smothers daylily crowns and is extremely difficult to remove from within clumps.
⚠️ Deep shade
Daylilies in deep shade produce foliage but few to no flowers; need minimum 4 hours direct sun.
⚠️ Wet / boggy soil
Permanently soggy soil causes rhizome rot and fungal diseases that kill daylilies.
💊 Medicinal Uses
["Traditional Chinese Medicine: diuretic, anti-inflammatory, for insomnia", "Contains colchicine-like compounds with anti-tumor research interest", "Rich in antioxidants including quercetin and kaempferol"]
📜 History & Traditional Uses
Cultivated in China for over 2,000 years as food and medicine; introduced to Europe in 16th century; became one of most popular perennial garden plants worldwide.
📝 Notes
Extremely hardy and adaptable perennial. Each flower lasts one day but many buds. Thousands of cultivars. Excellent for erosion control on slopes. Divide every 3–5 years.