Perennial Profile: Daylilies

Baja Daylily

Daylilies are so named because each bloom lasts for one day. However, a healthy plant will have 50 or more blossoms giving it a bloom time of a month or two. In addition to a long bloom time, the foliage of daylilies is the perfect camouflage for declining spring plants such as tulips and daffodils. Daylilies look best when combined with other blooming perennials.

This easy to grow perennial is not terribly finicky about either sun or soil conditions and once established, is difficult to kill. While daylilies perform best in full sun, they will take some shade, although blooming will be less prolific. Daylilies can survive and thrive in hot, dry spots in your yard once established. These characteristics make daylilies perfect plants for spots in the garden where other plants may struggle. 

Some notable varieties include:

Stella d'Oro: Far and away the most prolific blooming daylily. This gold-yellow lily blooms from late June through September. Often called a re-blooming daylily it's really more of an ever-blooming. This is a compact daylily that gets up to 18 inches tall and wide. Often overused because of its constant blooming, Stella d'Oro makes a bigger impact as a single specimen planted in a mixed garden rather than in a mass planting. Don't overlook this beauty just because it's ubiquitous. 


Happy Returns: This is another compact, ever-blooming daylily which gets about 18 inches tall and wide. Happy Returns is a clear lemon-yellow and a more open flower than the Stella's tulip-shaped bloom.


Purple d'Oro: A medium sized daylily at 20 inches tall and wide, this plant re-blooms with deep lavender pink blooms. A great companion to yellow daylilies.


Baja: At 36 inches tall and wide, Baja is the typical size of most daylilies. However, as a re-blooming lily, this plant will add beauty to the garden from June through September. The flowers are large (5-6 inches wide) with deep red petals and yellow throat.


Daylilies are a must for every garden. Coming in a variety of colors and sizes, there is certain to be a daylily to fit into every garden scheme.