Hemerocallis

RHS Genus Guide

With large blooms in a wide choice of colours, hemerocallis are popular, easy-to-grow and long-lived plants. Although individual flowers only last a day, they're produced in rapid succession to create a bountiful display that continues for many weeks.

Common name: Daylily

Dorling Kindersley Ltd

Appearance

Rising above a fountain of arching foliage are sturdy stems carrying a succession of trumpet- or star-shaped flowers in summer. These come in a wide choice of colours, with petals often patterned with additional hues.

Preferences

These easy-going plants are happy in most types of soil, especially fertile, free-draining, moist conditions. They flower more prolifically in full sun.

Dislikes

Daylilies don’t like sitting in waterlogged soil, and may stop flowering in drought conditions. They’ll also flower poorly in shade.

Did you know?

Young hemerocallis plants initially produce a single ‘fan’ of leaves, then sprout additional fans as they establish, eventually forming large, long-lived clumps. You will often find them for sale as ‘single fan’ or ‘double fan’ young plants, or as larger specimens.

RHS Growing Guide

Growing guide

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How to grow hemerocallis

RHS Recommended

Hemerocallis

daylily 'Pink Damask'

Hemerocallis 'Pink Damask'

daylily 'Pink Damask'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.5–1 metres

daylily 'Catherine Woodbery'

Hemerocallis 'Catherine Woodbery'

daylily 'Catherine Woodbery'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

daylily 'Stella de Oro'

Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro'

daylily 'Stella de Oro'

Height: 0.1–0.5 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

daylily 'Stafford'

Hemerocallis 'Stafford'

daylily 'Stafford'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

daylily 'Ruby Spider'

Hemerocallis 'Ruby Spider'

daylily 'Ruby Spider'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

yellow daylily

Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus

yellow daylily

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.5–1 metres

daylily 'Burning Daylight'

Hemerocallis 'Burning Daylight'

daylily 'Burning Daylight'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

daylily 'Red Precious'

Hemerocallis 'Red Precious'

daylily 'Red Precious'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

daylily 'Sir Modred'

Hemerocallis 'Sir Modred'

daylily 'Sir Modred'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

daylily 'Serena Sunburst'

Hemerocallis 'Serena Sunburst'

daylily 'Serena Sunburst'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

Award of Garden Merit

Plants for pollinators

See all Hemerocallis