🌸 Daylily
Hemerocallis spp.
flowers
herbaceous perennial
Asphodelaceae
☀️ 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 pH
6.0, 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
🪴 Soil Type
Adaptable; tolerates most soils from sandy loam to clay if well-drained; benefits from organic matter
🚿 Drainage
Well-drained; tolerant of occasional wet feet but not permanently soggy
📏 Spacing
18, 24 inches apart
📐 Height
1, 4 feet (depending on cultivar)
⏱️ Maturity
Blooms first year from divisions; 2, 3 years from seed
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ Flower buds (stir-fried, tempura, soups , "golden needles" in Chinese cuisine)
🍽️ Young shoots
🍽️ Tubers (cooked)
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (12)
Black-eyed Susans and daylilies create classic summer perennial borders; both tough and sun-loving.
🤝 Coneflower (Echinacea)
Coneflowers and daylilies bloom together in midsummer; both drought-tolerant prairie-style perennials attracting pollinators.
Lavender and daylilies share love of full sun and well-drained soil; lavender repels pests with silver foliage contrast.
Universal garden companion
Attracts pollinators
🤝 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.
Salvias bloom simultaneously with daylilies; attract hummingbirds while daylilies provide bold flower mass.
Sedums provide late-season interest after daylilies finish blooming; both extremely drought-tolerant.
🤝 Shasta Daisy
Shasta daisies and daylilies are classic cottage garden companions; white daisies contrast with colorful daylilies.
⚠️ Keep Apart (7)
⚠️ 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.
Competes aggressively
Juglone sensitive
⚠️ Wet / boggy soil
Permanently soggy soil causes rhizome rot and fungal diseases that kill daylilies.
💊 Medicinal Uses
Medicinal Properties
- Traditional Chinese Medicine: diuretic, anti-inflammatory, for insomnia
- Contains colchicine-like compounds with anti-tumor research interest
- Rich in antioxidants including quercetin and kaempferol
📝 Growing 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.
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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