Understory
← Species & systems
Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)

Daylily

Hemerocallis fulva

EdibleZones 39herbgroundcover

Hemerocallis fulva, the orange day-lily, tawny daylily, corn lily, tiger daylily, fulvous daylily, ditch lily or Fourth of July lily, is a species of daylily native to Asia. It is very widely grown as an ornamental plant in temperate climates for its showy flowers and ease of cultivation. It is not a true lily in the genus Lilium, but gets its common name from the superficial similarity of its flowers to Lilium and from the fact that each flower lasts only one day.

Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

⚠ Safety

Only true Hemerocallis is edible (buds/flowers/shoots, cooked); can cause stomach upset for some. Not to be confused with toxic true lilies (Lilium).

At a glance

Sunlight
Full sun
Water need
Medium
Mature height
1 m
Maintenance
Low
Hardiness
USDA 3–9
Layers
herb, groundcover

Functional roles

foodgroundcoverpollinator

Propagation

How to make more of this plant for free — the permaculture way.

divisioneasy

When: Divide spring or autumn

Tough clumping perennial; edible flower buds, and dense enough to smother weeds.

Seed data pending expert review. Identification photo and description are sourced from Wikipedia/Wikimedia; always confirm a plant in person before eating any part of it.