Horticulture/Hemerocallis
From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection
| Daylily | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Binomial: | Hemerocallis spp. |
| Genus: | Hemerocallis |
| Family: | Hemerocallidaceae |
| Type: | Perennial |
| Light requirements: | Full sun |
| Water requirements: | Drought tolerant |
| Soil requirements: | Widely adaptable |
| Propagation: | Divisions, seed, tissue culture |
| Transplant: | Easy |
| Pest issues: | Minor |
| Disease issues: | Rare |
| Bloom season: | Mid-summer |
| Weediness: | Can become weedy |
| Pollination: | Insects |
Daylilies are a group of plants in the genus Hemerocallis, including several species and many thousands of cultivars. These plants produce flowers that last for just a day, but they tend to produce many flowers on each scape, providing a relatively long bloom period.
Daylilies are tough and extremely adaptable. They are successfully grown in nearly any USDA hardiness zone, preferring full sun but tolerant of some shade.
[edit] Description
[edit] Growing conditions
Daylilies prefer a soil that is nutrient rich, moist and well-drained. However, they are extremely adaptable, growing in both damp soils and in very dry soils.
These plants bloom very well in full sun, and are slightly less prolific as shade increases. In deep shade, the plants do not bloom and eventually die.
Daylilies should be planted high, never deeper than the crowns. If bare rooted plants are simply thrown on the ground, they sometimes root themselves in. Daylilies can spread quickly in good soil (depending on the specific cultivar), so should be spaced appropriately.
[edit] Varieties
[edit] Uses
[edit] Maintenance
- Early Spring
- In early spring, daylilies should be cut back to within 5 cm (2 in.) on the soil line or the base of the crown. They will appreciate a good layer of mulch.
- Bloom Period (mid-summer)
- During bloom, these plants need a consistently moist soil, otherwise the buds may fail to open or the flowers will be dwarfed. Overhead irrigation or rain will mottle or "melt" the day's blooms, so irrigation should either be done by hand, drip, or in the late afternoon when the day's flowers have begun to fade.
- Many daylilies also need to be deadheaded, meaning the spent flowers must be removed by pinching off or cutting. Particularly on large-flowered varieties, the spent flowers may get wrapped around other buds, preventing them from opening properly. Many newer cultivars are "self-deadheading", meaning that the flowers drop by themselves rather than needing to be pinched or cut. Care must be taken with some varieties, as the spent blooms closely resemble opening buds.
- After Blooming
- After blooming, most daylilies put on a new flush of vegetative growth. The old foliage is often yellow and unattractive, so it is often removed. This can be done either by pulling the old leaves out, or simply cutting the plant to the ground (they quickly regrow).
- Fall Cleanup
- After the foliage goes completely yellow, it is best to cut back the foliage to within 20 cm (8 in.) of the soil line, to prevent matting during the winter months. While this is not necessary, it makes for a more attractive winter garden and eliminates a potential harbor for undesirable pests and fungi. At a minimum, remove the spent, brown flower scapes.
[edit] Propagation
Daylilies are usually propagated by division, and are one of the easiest perennials to divide. There are several methods for dividing daylilies:
-
- The most common method is to take two digging forks, inserted through the middle of the clump back to back, and simply prying the plant apart.
- For very large clumps, daylilies can also be divided by either driving a shovel or spade throught the clump while still in the ground, or else the clump can be dug up and cleaved with an axe or mattock.
- For special cultivars, daylilies can be divided by hand, using fingers and a knife.
Divisions can be as small as a single fan.
[edit] Proliferations
A proliferation is a small fan that grows in the node of a bract on the scape. These fans can be rooted to make a new plant (which will, like divisions, be a clone). To encourage proliferations, simply make sure that no seed pods are allowed to develop on the top of the scape. Harvest the proliferations as soon as the scape shows signs of yellowing, and root in water with a piece of the scape still attached.
[edit] Tissue Culture
Some of the newer, patented cultivars of daylily are propagated through tissue culture.
[edit] Seed Propagation
Many daylily cultivars can produce fertile seed (however, triploid cultivars do not). To harvest seed, simply leave the seed pod on the plant until it completely dries up and opens. Some prefer to harvest a little earlier, but at least wait until the pod shows some sign of an open crack. The time from pollination to harvest runs around 45 days.
[edit] Harvesting
The buds and flowers of the daylily are edible, and used in some asian cuisines. They can also be stuffed, similar to Squash flowers.
The difficulty with daylilies is that since the blooms only last a day, they must be picked and used the same day. The best time to pick is just after the flowers have fully opened. Refrigeration is not appropriate, as it will cause them to wilt.
The enlarged roots can be peeled and eaten raw or stir-fried. They have a sweet radish flavor.
[edit] Pests and diseases
[edit] Fungal Diseases
- Leaf Spot caused by Cercospora hemerocallis
- Russett Spot
- Leaf Streak caused by Aureobasidium microstictum
- Crown Rot (Southern Blight) caused by Sclerotium rolfsii
- Rust caused by the heteroecious fungus Puccinia hemerocallidis (alternate host: Patrina.
[edit] Nematodes
- Root Knot caused by the Southern Root Knot Nematode (Meliodgyne incognita):
[edit] Insects, Mites
- A plant bug (Lopidea confluenta)
- Grasshoppers
- Earwigs
- Thrips, including
- Flower Thrips (Frankliniella tritici)
- Western Flower Thrips
- Daylily Thrips
- Hemerocallis Gall Midge
- Beetles, including
- Imported Longhorned Weevil
- Japanese Beetle
- Bumble Flower Beetle
- Convict Caterpillar
- Two-spotted Spider Mite (Tetranychus urticae)
[edit] Other Animals
- Slugs and Snails
- White Tailed Deer
[edit] Unknown Cause
- Spring Sickness (see About Spring Sickness)
[edit] References
