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Spiky orange tigerlilies growing near a vacant plot.
Throughout the end of June and beginning of July, daylilies, which some call tiger lilies, start to bloom in the Mid-Atlantic states. The official name for this plant is Hemerocallis, which combines the Greek words for “beauty” and “day”. Each flower lasts one day, but each plant sends up stalks with several buds, for a continuous bloom over a certain period. Daylilies are native to Asia but American gardeners developed the kinds we know here in Maryland.
Most people know these flowers as tiger lilies, but this name refers specifically to the bright orange varieties of daylily that seemingly grow everywhere. In fact, some call it the “Ditch Lily” because it grows prolifically along roadsides and in ditches. Also, many are familiar with the low growing, small yellow varieties common in ornamental planting beds around offices or other public buildings. But, these are not the only types of daylilies.
A yellow daylily with rounded petals.
Generally, daylilies come in all shapes and sizes. They can grow between three to five feet tall. Besides orange orange, they come in deep red, pink, purple, and other warm colors. The leaves can be anywhere from slightly rounded to spiky and star-like. Some are even ruffled or have double blossoms. Likewise, the foliage can be deep blue green or bright yellow green. Some varieties continue to bloom until the fall. They are not true lilies but are related to them. According to the Olallie Daylily Gardens web page there are 45,000 verities of daylily hybrids.
Daylilies have a long history and are thought to originate in China. They were also found in Japan, Korea, Northern India, Mongolia and Manchuria. Chinese people ate the blossoms and used the root for medicinal purposes. In 1753 the plant received the Hemerocallis name from Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist. In the 1920s Dr. A. B. Stout began researching how to develop day lilies and this led to the wide variety of color, shape and size we have today. The 1930s marked the beginning of a long period of hybridization.
Lots of healthy pink daylilies.
To grow your own daylilies, plant them either in the spring or fall. They like at least six hours of full sun a day but will tolerate partial shade. The best time to transplant and divide daylilies is in the fall. Dig the roots up, separate them, and replant them. They attract few insects and diseases, but slugs can be a problem. They grow in almost any type of soil and do not need any fertilizer. It also does not need any special protection during winter. They can live for many years without any care at all. For more information see the wsbtv.com article, “Tiger Lilies a Snap to Grow”.
For more info: Please subscribe to receive new articles regularly. Contact the Baltimore Gardening Examiner by emailing baltogardener@gmail.com.
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