Daylilies: The Cheerful Non-Native Perennial That’s Hard to Resist
If you’ve ever wandered through a summer garden and been captivated by cheerful, trumpet-shaped flowers dancing above grass-like foliage, you’ve likely encountered daylilies (Hemerocallis). These popular perennials have earned their place in countless American gardens, though they’re actually visitors from far across the Pacific.
What Are Daylilies?
Daylilies are herbaceous perennials that belong to the botanical genus Hemerocallis. Despite their common name, they’re not true lilies at all! These hardy plants are characterized by their distinctive growth habit as forbs – vascular plants without significant woody tissue that produce their buds at or below ground level.
The name daylily comes from the fact that each individual flower typically lasts just one day, though the plants produce blooms in succession throughout their flowering season, creating weeks or even months of continuous color.
Native Status and Geographic Distribution
Here’s where things get interesting from a native gardening perspective: daylilies aren’t native to North America at all. These adaptable plants originated in Asia, particularly China, Korea, and Japan. However, they’ve made themselves quite at home across the continent, now reproducing spontaneously in the wild and persisting without human intervention.
Today, you’ll find daylilies growing in virtually every U.S. state and several Canadian provinces, from Alabama to Wyoming, and from New Brunswick to British Columbia. They’ve proven remarkably adaptable to diverse climates and growing conditions.
Why Gardeners Love Daylilies
There’s a reason daylilies have become such garden favorites, despite their non-native status:
- Spectacular flowers: Blooms come in vibrant colors including orange, yellow, red, pink, and purple
- Long blooming season: Summer flowering period with continuous succession of blooms
- Fast growth: Rapid growth rate means quick establishment and impact
- Perfect height: Mature plants reach about 3 feet tall, ideal for borders and mass plantings
- Low maintenance: Once established, they’re quite self-sufficient
- Pollinator friendly: Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
Garden Design and Landscape Use
Daylilies shine in several garden settings. Their rhizomatous growth form and erect, clumping habit make them excellent choices for:
- Perennial borders and mixed plantings
- Mass plantings for dramatic color impact
- Naturalized areas where they can spread slowly
- Cottage-style gardens
- Low-maintenance landscapes
Their medium-textured, green foliage provides nice structure even when not in bloom, and the porous nature of the leaves creates an airy, graceful appearance in the landscape.
Growing Conditions and Care
One of daylilies’ greatest strengths is their adaptability. They’re remarkably forgiving and can thrive in various conditions:
Soil Requirements:
- Adaptable to coarse, medium, and fine-textured soils
- pH range from 4.8 to 8.0 (quite tolerant!)
- Medium fertility requirements
- Medium moisture needs
Light and Climate:
- Full sun to intermediate shade tolerance
- Hardy in temperatures as low as -23°F
- Requires minimum 110 frost-free days
- Thrives in areas receiving 28-60 inches annual precipitation
Hardiness: Most daylilies perform well in USDA zones 3-9, making them suitable for most of North America.
Planting and Care Tips
Planting:
- Plant bare root divisions, bulbs, or container plants in spring or fall
- Space plants 2-4 feet apart depending on desired density
- Plant crowns at soil level
- Root depth extends at least 16 inches, so prepare soil accordingly
Ongoing Care:
- Water regularly first year; established plants have medium drought tolerance
- Apply balanced fertilizer in spring
- Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continued blooming
- Divide clumps every 3-4 years to maintain vigor
- Cut foliage back in fall after it dies down
Propagation
Daylilies are easy to propagate through several methods:
- Division of established clumps (most common)
- Seed collection and sowing (though seedlings may not match parent)
- Bare root or container planting of purchased plants
Seeds are produced in medium abundance from summer through fall, with about 19,000 seeds per pound, though seedling vigor tends to be low compared to division.
A Word About Native Alternatives
While daylilies aren’t invasive and make lovely garden additions, native plant enthusiasts might consider these North American alternatives that provide similar garden impact:
- Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) for summer color and pollinator appeal
- Native iris species for similar foliage texture and spring blooms
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia species) for bright summer flowers
- Native lilies like Turk’s cap lily (Lilium superbum) where appropriate
The Bottom Line
Daylilies offer reliable beauty, easy care, and adaptability that’s hard to beat. While they’re not native plants, they’re not problematic either – they’ve simply become naturalized members of our landscape. Whether you choose to include them in your garden is a personal decision, but if you do, you’ll be rewarded with years of cheerful summer blooms and very little fuss.
Just remember that supporting native plants when possible benefits local ecosystems and wildlife. Consider mixing daylilies with native species, or explore native alternatives that might provide similar beauty while supporting your local environment. Happy gardening!
