Day-lily

The daylily plant (Hemerocallis) is a representative of the Asphodel family. The east of Asia is considered the birthplace of the flower. The Latin name for the daylily was given by Karl Linnaeus. It can be translated as "daily beauty" - each flower of a plant exists for only one day. For the same reason, the people also call the daylily "beautiful day".

Not only garden, but also wild daylilies are attractive. Despite the fact that this plant has been known to mankind for a long time, the first scientific mentions of it date back only to the middle of the 18th century. Thanks to the work of breeders in recent years, it has been possible to obtain many new spectacular varieties of daylily. Unlike unpretentious species plants, they make more demands on care, but compensate for the care with lush flowering.

In many Asian countries, daylilies are used not only as ornamental plants, but also eat parts of the bushes. Flowers and buds, as well as foliage or tubers of plants are considered edible. In addition to cooking, parts of the daylily can also be used in folk medicine.

Daylily description

The root system of the daylily includes thick adventitious roots resembling laces with tuberous thickenings - stolons. This structure allows the plant to better tolerate periods of drought. Wide and elongated root foliage is arranged in two rows. Sheet plates can be straight or curved. The flowers are usually funnel-shaped and include six petals. Their color varies from yellow to orange or reddish-brownish, but in hybrids it includes other shades. Flowers are collected in inflorescences, on each of which no more than 3 flowers can open at the same time. There may be several peduncles, their length depends on the variety and ranges from 30 cm to 1 m or more. Despite the short lifespan of each flower, the flowering period lasts about 3 weeks. Due to the fact that different plant varieties start flowering at different times, it is possible to collect a flower bed from daylilies so that the flowers replace each other. After the withering of the flowers, trihedral boxes filled with seeds are formed on the peduncles.

Daylilies begin to grow in early spring, as soon as the night frosts end. For cultivation in regions with cold winters, you should choose the most frost-resistant varieties that bloom in the early to mid-term. In this case, the plants will have time to complete the growing season before the onset of autumn. When choosing hybrid daylilies for the garden, you should pay attention to their country of origin.This will help to assess the thermophilicity of the flower - in a radically different climate, plants become less resistant to diseases.

Many budding gardeners consider daylilies and lilies as one plant, but this is not the case. Despite the consonant Russian names and the external similarity of flowers, botanists attribute these genera to different families. Lilies develop from bulbs rather than rhizomes, can be much higher and have a non-branching stem. In addition, unlike daylily flowers, lily flowers stay on the bushes for at least a week.

Brief rules for growing a daylily

The table shows brief rules for growing a daylily in the open field.

Planting a daylily in open ground

What time to plant

The time for planting a daylily is calculated based on the climate of the region. Planting can be carried out from spring to autumn, but early autumn colds may prevent plants from fully rooting when planting late. It usually takes about a month for a daylily to take root. The exception is early and medium flowering species, which quickly adapt to new conditions. In order not to expose daylilies to the risk of freezing, plantings can be mulched.

In the middle lane, planting of bushes is usually carried out in May or August. These times will allow the plants to acclimate before the end of the warm season. The division or transplantation of old bushes is carried out at approximately the same time.

The best place to land

In the natural environment, daylilies grow on the edges of forests, choosing semi-shady corners near shrubs. Because of this feature, in warm regions, the best place for growing daylilies should be shady. But in colder areas, flowers should be placed in more sunny areas, otherwise they will lack warmth or light. Hybrid forms of daylilies are considered especially demanding on the conditions of detention. It is in the sun that they will bloom most profusely. It is believed that the bushes should be in direct sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. In this case, plants with a dark color of flowers should be shaded from midday rays so that they do not fade. Varieties with flowers of delicate colors are less susceptible to this.

These plants are undemanding to the composition of the soil, but the quality of the soil can affect the duration of flowering. Planting will be best suited for well-drained and nutritious soil. To correct clay soil, sand can be added to it, sandy soil, on the contrary, is slightly weighted with clay. If the soil is podzolic-soddy, it can be fertilized with compost. The reaction of the resulting mixture should be neutral or slightly acidic. Despite the moisture-loving nature, the planting does not tolerate stagnant water. If the groundwater on the site is too high or it is not possible to provide the plantings with a sufficient drainage layer, daylilies are recommended to be planted in raised beds.

It is advisable to choose a corner for the flower, protected from strong winds.Tall peduncles can break under its gusts.

Landing rules

Before planting the acquired daylily bush, you should hold the plant roots in water or a weak solution of mineral fertilizer for several hours. This procedure will allow the roots to activate and swell. Dry or sore roots will then become more visible and can be removed. The rest of the roots are cut to a length of 20-30 cm.

Each plant or cut is placed in a prepared hole about 30 cm deep. When planting, it should be remembered that daylilies will be located in the chosen place for a long time and will gradually begin to grow. So that the bushes do not interfere with each other, a distance should be left between them. It is calculated based on the potential size of the bush (about 50-70 cm). A slide of a mixture of peat with sand and humus is pre-poured into each hole, and wood ash is added with the addition of superphosphate or a fertilizer containing potassium and phosphorus. The roots of the daylily are placed in the hole and carefully straightened so that the roots lie firmly on the ground, and there are no voids left under them. Then soil is poured into the hole so that it does not reach the level of the garden bed, and it is tamped well. After that, the daylily is watered, filling the remaining space in the hole with water. If the water goes into the ground too quickly, it is necessary to add some more earth from above and compact it enough. This will give the plants enough moisture for good rooting. The remaining space after watering is also filled with soil, already to the edge, but the root necks of the bushes should not be deepened by more than 3 cm.If you plant the daylily deeper, the bushes may begin to rot or slow down the growth rate.

Transfer

Daylily bushes can grow in one place for about 15 years, but as the plantings age, they begin to lose their former attractiveness. The flowers of daylilies become smaller, and their number on the stems decreases. Transplanting will help rejuvenate the bushes. The selected daylily is carefully dug in and removed from the ground along with its lump. In order not to damage the roots, they are cleaned under running water. Then the plant is divided into separate fans of rosettes. Experienced gardeners do the division by hand, but a pruner or other similar tool can be used. It must be clean, and the cut sites after division must be treated with a fungicidal preparation.

The landing of such divisions in a permanent place should be carried out in cloudy weather. If it's too sunny outside, you can hold parts of the bushes in the sand by digging them into it. In this form, they can spend about a couple of weeks. Before planting, the roots of the delenok are shortened, and all dry or rotted roots are removed. The foliage is also pruned to a height of about 15-20 cm. The fan of the plates should be cut so that its top forms a kind of triangle with the apex in the center of the rosette. This will allow excess moisture not to linger in the foliage. After these procedures, the cut is planted in its final place.

Daylily care

Watering

In general, caring for daylilies is not difficult. Plants do not need frequent watering; it is necessary to moisten the soil only during periods of long dry weather. But a constant lack of moisture can negatively affect the abundance of flowering. When the soil in the beds dries up from the heat, each bush is watered abundantly, allowing the soil to be properly saturated with moisture. Evening is considered the best time to water, but the water should not be icy cold. It is advisable that its drops do not fall on the flowers and leaves of the plant.

Top dressing

The feeding regime depends on the degree of nutritional value of the soil in the flower bed. If daylilies grow on poor soil, they should be fed more often, but an excess of nutrients can be harmful to plants. During the warm season, daylilies require about three additional feeding. The first is carried out in the spring, when their foliage begins to actively develop. For this, dry mineral compositions containing nitrogen are used.They are bred in water or buried in the ground with a rake, and then irrigated. During the budding period, you can additionally feed the plantings using a solution of potassium-phosphorus composition (about 30 g per 1 liter of water). The last mandatory feeding with potassium and phosphorus is carried out at the end of summer, one month after the peak of the flowering wave. It will help plant buds for the next season and strengthen the plant before wintering.

Mulching

Another important component of planting care is mulching. Thanks to it, the top layer of the soil is not compacted from irrigation, turning into a crust. The center of the bush is covered with a layer of coarse sand about 3 cm thick. Mulching can be turned into a fertilizer for poor soil. In such cases, a layer of peat or compost is used. Sufficiently nutritious soil can be mulched with bark or needles. A layer of mulch will help protect plants from temperature extremes, eliminate the need for frequent weeding, and in the heat will help reduce the number of waterings. The layer size can be up to 7 cm.

When to prune daylilies

The rest of the daylily care is made up of sanitary procedures. In the spring, it is necessary to clear the bushes of old foliage (it is cut at the root), and in the summer, to remove wilted flowers from which they will not collect seeds. Old wilted foliage can be cut off before wintering.

Daylily after flowering

Planting care after flowering differs depending on the group to which the daylilies belong.

Sleepers (Dormant)

Dormant daylilies are considered deciduous. In autumn, their aboveground part begins to acquire a yellow color and gradually withers. Until spring, such bushes will remain at rest. These daylilies are considered the most frost-resistant. They do not need shelter, but before wintering, it is recommended to cut off the aerial part of the foliage, leaving only about 15-20 cm.

Evergreen

The Evergreen type, when grown in mid-latitudes, has a short rest period of about 2-3 weeks.

Semievergreen

The Semievergreen type exhibits the characteristics of the types described above, depending on the growing climate. In a warm region, such bushes can be considered evergreen, and in colder areas, their foliage begins to turn yellow before frost. At the same time, the plant does not plunge into a state of deep dormancy, continuing to develop at a slower pace.

Semi- and evergreen types of daylilies can die if the temperature in winter drops below -20 degrees. To avoid this, the plantings must be covered. Young plants especially need shelter. In autumn, they are thrown with dry foliage, spruce branches, straw or a layer of sawdust. But in the spring, such a shelter should be removed early enough so that it does not interfere with the awakened flowers.

Daylily breeding methods

Growing from seeds

Seeds that form on bushes after flowering can be used to propagate daylilies. But this method does not guarantee the transfer of varietal characteristics of plants. Most often, it is used by the owners of species plants, breeders, as well as gardeners seeking to get plants-"surprises".

In March, the seeds must be soaked in water or a solution of hydrogen peroxide (15 ml of 3% peroxide will be required for 1 liter of water), close with a bag and tidy up in a dark place. Roots can hatch within a couple of weeks, but this process must be monitored. When the roots appear, the liquid is drained, and the seeds themselves are moved into a container with small pebbles, filled with water so that only the roots themselves can be in it. The container is placed in the light, adding water if necessary. When sprouts are formed from the seeds, they can be transplanted into a seedling container. Small daylilies are brought into the ground when warm weather sets in, and the seedlings reach a height of at least 15 cm.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

Daylilies are often propagated by division. This procedure is carried out in August, planting divisions of old bushes.In some cases, when the aerial part of the plant is rather loose, division can be carried out without digging out the main bush. Daylilies about 3-4 years old are suitable for this. During this period, the plant can form a daughter shoot with its own roots. With the help of a sharp shovel, the baby rosette is separated from the bush by a strictly vertical cut, and then they dig in and pull it out of the ground. The roots of the rosette are examined by treating the cuts or broken areas with coal powder or wood ash, and then planting it as a regular cut. Such reproduction is carried out in the spring, after the leaves begin to grow, or in the fall, when the leaves are cut off.

Reproduction by leaf rosettes

Sometimes leaf rosettes are formed on the peduncles of the daylily. By separating them, you can get a plant of the required variety. To do this, the peduncle is allowed to dry to the level of the desired outlet, then the area with it is cut out, and the rosette foliage is shortened by about a third. The rosette is placed in the water so that only the lowest brownish area is in it, which will form the roots. When their length reaches 4.5 cm, you can plant a rosette in a pot. There she will spend at least a few weeks. If about 1.5 months remain before the onset of cold weather, the rooted outlet is planted in the ground. Otherwise, in winter it is grown at home and only at the end of next spring is it moved to the garden bed.

Pests and diseases

Daylilies are rarely affected by diseases or pests, but sometimes they can still become their target.

Thrips can harm the daylily. They penetrate the plant from the soil at a temperature of about 10 degrees. The purpose of insects is the sap of flowers, foliage and plant shoots. The presence of thrips will be indicated by deformed buds. The plant affected by them will have to be destroyed. To prevent infection, prevention is needed. In spring and autumn, the soil near the beds is treated with an insecticide, and wilted or dry leaves, especially those left after winter, are promptly removed from the plants.

Lily gnats harm the buds of the daylily. It is them that the insect larvae feed on, deforming the flowers. To destroy such mosquitoes, it is enough to cut off the affected flowers.

Water voles - rodents that can eat the roots of daylilies, as well as harm other plantings. Usually, the population of such pests increases about once every 3-4 years, and during this period they can attack the beds with lilies, daylilies and tulips, as well as gnaw the roots of apple seedlings. Fight with them should be the same as with other rodents.

Slugs Are other possible daylily pests. They are collected from the bushes by hand or using folk or specialized means.

Common daylily diseases include the following:

• Root rot - usually observed on plantings in spring. Diseased plants stop growing, the foliage begins to turn yellow and easily detaches from the outlet. The affected plant is removed from the soil, all rotten parts are cut off, and then washed in a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Sections are treated with fungicides. After that, the roots are allowed to dry for a couple of days so that the wounds on them heal properly. After that, the plant is planted in another hole. In the old place, such plants should not be planted for about a year. The diseased daylily will begin to bloom only after 2 years.
• Rust - affects plants very rarely, usually this happens if patrinia grows next to daylilies - an intermediate carrier of these fungi. For prevention, you can treat the bushes with a fungicide.
• Fusarium - the affected daylilies weaken, their foliage turns yellow and withers, and the roots gradually die off. In the early stages, you can get rid of this fungal infection with the help of a fungicide, in advanced cases, the bushes will have to be destroyed, and the surrounding area (land and neighboring plantings) should be treated with Fundazol. Standard precautions can help you avoid getting sick.To work with daylilies, you need to use only sterile tools, the soil should be loosened after watering. In addition, Fitosporin-M can be added to the water during irrigation.

Types and varieties of daylily with photos and names

Natural species

Natural forms of daylilies are also highly decorative, so they do not lose their popularity in gardening, despite the limited number of flower colors. A great advantage of such plants is their unpretentiousness. It is believed that literally anyone can grow such a daylily. Bushes successfully resist the development of diseases, are almost not affected by pests, and are also not afraid of either drought or overflow. Daylily bushes can grow in one area for a long time without losing their attractiveness. Among the most popular types:

Daylily orange (Hemerocallis fulva), or brown-yellow

This species has been known in culture since the end of the 19th century. It is characterized by tough foliage with a bend. The color of the leaf plates is dark green, and their width reaches 3 cm. The size of the peduncles of Hemerocallis fulva reaches 1 m. The flowers are large, up to 12 cm in diameter, their petals are orange with a reddish tint. Flowering begins in July. Flowers are devoid of smell.

Daylily lemon yellow (Hemerocallis citrina)

Chinese look. Hemerocallis citrina flower-like white lilies. Flowers open only at night. The bushes of such a daylily grow up to 90 cm in height. Closer to the top, the peduncles begin to branch. They bloom very fragrant flowers about 14 cm long and about 12 cm wide. Flowering occurs in the middle of summer, and lasts about 1.5 months.

Daylily Dumortier (Hemerocallis dumortieri)

The wolf locust also calls. This daylily lives in the Far East region and East Asian countries. The height of the Hemerocallis dumortieri bushes reaches 70 cm.The width of the bright green foliage reaches 2.5 cm.The size of the peduncles is comparable to the length of the leaves. Inflorescences are formed on them, in each of which there are up to 4 yellowish-orange flowers. Their size is small - about 5 cm in diameter. The species has been used by gardeners since the beginning of the 19th century and is often used in breeding to create new hybrids.

Daylily garden or hybrid

This group includes numerous hybrids of daylilies. Most often, Australian or American botanists are engaged in the development of new varieties of this plant. Such daylilies can have a different shape and color of flowers, a different aroma (in some hybrids it is absent) and the size of the bush. Due to the incredible number of existing varieties (over 60 thousand), for convenience they are classified according to the external characteristics of plants, but such a professional system is not always clear to ordinary gardeners. Among the most common lines of garden daylilies:

Daylilies of the double group

This group includes varieties with additional rows of petals in the perianth. Such terry daylilies look very elegant. Among them:

• Double Dream - the height of the bushes reaches 60 cm, the foliage is located in the root outlet. Flowers up to 12 cm in size are painted in a delicate apricot color with a darker neck.
• Double Cutie - Forms 10 cm flowers with a greenish neck and yellow petals with a green tint. Flowering begins in the mid-early stages.
• Double Red Royal - the variety has large flowers with velvety petals of deep red color. Each flower includes large lower petals, inside which is a rosette of smaller petals. The bush is capable of forming about 30 peduncle stems, each of which includes about 10 or even 20 flowers. The flowering of such a daylily can take place in 2 waves.

Daylilies spiders (spider-like)

The petals-segments of such daylilies are elongated and give the flower a slight resemblance to a spider. The most famous varieties:

• Arms To Haven - forms very large flowers with a yellow-green neck.The petals themselves have a bright crimson color, creating the effect of the radiance of the middle of the flower.
• Free Healing - a variety with large flowers, distinguished by especially thin and elongated petals. Each peduncle can contain up to 45 buds. The color of the flowers is cream, with red patterns.
• Helix - the neck of such flowers is colored lemon green, and as it approaches the ends of the petals, the color smoothly changes to burgundy.

Daylily fragrant

This group includes daylilies with different external characteristics, but they all have a pleasant smell and attractive flowers.

• Od tu Feif - the petals of this variety are colored pinkish-yellow and complemented by a greenish-golden corrugated border and a green neck. The size of the flower reaches 15 cm in diameter, each one exudes a delicate aroma. Peduncles can be more than 80 cm high.
• Stella de Oro - differs in dark yellow funnel-shaped flowers, the petals of which are corrugated. The diameter of each flower reaches 7 cm. Flowering lasts almost all summer, during which the bushes exude a pleasant aroma. The variety is considered deciduous. Due to the small size of the bushes, it can be used for growing as a curb planting or even as a house plant.
• Apple Spring - flowers have pale pink petals with a corrugated edge of a lemon shade. The size of the flower is about 15 cm, and the height of the peduncles is about 60 cm. Each can bear up to almost 30 buds.

Daylily white

Modern breeding has not yet succeeded in breeding a daylily with snow-white petals. Because of this, existing hybrids with light colored flowers are referred to as “almost white”. In such daylilies, flowers have a faint creamy, lavender, yellow, green or pinkish tint. The "practically white" varieties include:

• Granny Smith - petals of this kind have a corrugated edge of a pale green hue.
• Ruffle Parchment - a variety characterized by a yellow center and creamy color of the flower itself. The petals are corrugated. Each flower exudes a strong aroma, and its diameter reaches 13 cm. Peduncles are short.
• Apple Blossom White - the flowers are painted in a pale yellow color and are complemented by a corrugated edge. The size of the peduncles reaches 80 cm, they can branch, each of a pair of branches includes about 25 buds.

Today, the work of daylily breeders is aimed at increasing the size and degree of doubleness of flowers, as well as the formation of new varieties with wavy petals, which give the flowers a special decorative effect.

Daylilies in landscape design

There are many ways to use daylilies in your garden landscape. These plants look great in both solo and group plantings. Large shrubs or trees will be a great backdrop for bright flowers. Low-growing varieties with dense bushes can be used to decorate borders. Abundant varieties with small flowers will be able to decorate a landscape close to natural. They are placed in rockeries, as well as to decorate the coastal area of ​​garden ponds.

Daylilies can be grown as greenhouse plants or enjoyed in winter gardens. In addition, these flowers are suitable for cutting and can delight the eye in the form of a bouquet for a long time.

Due to the fact that daylilies begin to lose their decorative effect after flowering, it is recommended to combine them with plantings that can cover their fading greens. For example, you can use loosestrife, yarrow or beautiful cereals for this.