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Daylilies (Edible) — Hemerocallis fulva and H. lilioasphodelus

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Daylilies (Edible) — Hemerocallis fulva and H. lilioasphodelus

layout: base.njk title: Daylilies (Edible) description: Growing Daylilies (Edible) in West Virginia (Zone 6b/7a) category: perennial

Quick Reference: See detailed growing information below

Type: Perennial
Family: Asphodelaceae (formerly Hemerocallidaceae)
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Low to moderate (drought-tolerant once established)
Soil pH: 6.0-7.0
Hardiness: Zones 3-9

📅 Planting Calendar (WV Zone 6b/7a)

Method Timing Notes
Plant divisions March 15 - April 30 OR Aug 15 - Oct 15 Divide fans, 18-24" apart
Start seeds indoors Not common Seeds variable, slow to flower
Direct sow March-April or September-October Fresh seed, light covering
Divide established Every 4-6 years Spring or fall, after flowering
First harvest Year 1 (flowers), Year 2+ (tubers) Flowers summer, tubers fall/spring

🌱 Expected Yield

  • Per plant: 20-50+ flowers per season, ½-1 lb tubers (mature clumps)
  • Per patch (10'x10'): 10-15 lbs tubers, 200-400 flowers (15-20 plants)
  • Lifespan: 20-30+ years, essentially permanent once established

🌿 Growing Conditions

  • Soil: Adaptable—clay, loam, sandy. Prefers well-drained but tolerates poor drainage better than most perennials.
  • Fertilizer: Light feeder. Annual compost sufficient. Too much nitrogen = more leaves, fewer flowers.
  • Mulching: 2-3" organic mulch to suppress weeds. Not critical—plants shade out weeds once established.
  • Companions: Peonies, iris, ornamental grasses, other low-water perennials
  • Avoid: None specifically
  • Pests: Deer browse flowers and leaves (use fencing or repellent). Aphids occasionally, daylily gall midge. Generally pest-free.
  • Diseases: Daylily rust (imported disease—remove infected leaves), crown rot (ensure good drainage). Very disease-resistant.
  • Containment: Can be invasive. Spreads via rhizomes. Orange daylily (H. fulva) especially aggressive. Plant where spreading is acceptable or use root barriers.

CRITICAL SPECIES DISTINCTION: - SAFE: Hemerocallis species (daylilies)—ALL parts edible (flowers, buds, tubers, young leaves) - TOXIC: Lilium species (true lilies like Easter lily, tiger lily)—NOT edible, can cause kidney failure - Common name confusion: "Day lily" vs. "Lily"—different plants entirely!

🏺 Heirloom Varieties (Edible Types)

Tawny Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)

  • Source: Common, old gardens, roadsides (naturalized)
  • Notes: Orange flowers with dark centers. Most common wild/naturalized type. Aggressive spreader. Flowers slightly bitter, tubers excellent. Traditional medicinal use.

Lemon Daylily (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus, syn. H. citrina)

  • Source: Baker Creek, perennial collections
  • Notes: Pale yellow, fragrant flowers. Less aggressive than orange type. Flowers sweeter, less bitter. Preferred for eating.

'Kwanzo' Daylily

  • Source: Old gardens, Asian collections
  • Notes: Double orange flowers. Sterile (no seed). Vigorous. Japanese heirloom. Flowers ornamental and edible.

'Flore Pleno' Daylily

  • Source: European heritage collections
  • Notes: Double-flowered form of H. fulva. Victorian era. Striking appearance. Edible but petals less accessible.

'Europa' Daylily

  • Source: Historic gardens
  • Notes: Common roadside daylily in eastern US. Orange, fragrant. Very vigorous. Naturalized since 1700s.

Yellow Flowering Wild Type

  • Source: Foraged, Asian seed exchanges
  • Notes: H. minor, H. dumortieri. Smaller yellow flowers. Less aggressive. Sweeter flavor.

(Note: Modern hybrid daylilies bred for ornamental traits may not have best flavor. Stick with older varieties or species for eating.)

📜 Cultural History & Domestication

Domesticated: Ancient China, 2000+ years ago

Archaeological Evidence: Daylilies native to Eurasia (Europe to China, Japan). Cultivated in China for food and medicine for 2000+ years. Naturalized in North America (brought by settlers).

Historical Record: - First recorded in Chinese texts 200 BCE (Han Dynasty) - Called "golden needles" (jin zhen hua) in Chinese cuisine—dried flower buds - Traditional ingredient in hot and sour soup, moo shu pork, Buddha's delight - Dried daylily buds important in Chinese vegetarian cooking - Introduced to Europe 1500s as ornamental - Brought to North America by European colonists (1600s-1700s) - Escaped cultivation, naturalized along roadsides, old homesteads - Appalachian tradition: "roadside lilies" picked for fritters - Victorian gardens: Grown as ornamental, edible use forgotten in West - Modern rediscovery (1970s-present): Foraging movement, Asian cuisine popularity, permaculture

Cultural Significance: - Chinese symbolism: Daylily represented motherhood, alleviating worry - Traditional Chinese medicine: Flowers used for calming, reducing inflammation - Chinese proverb: "When you have daylilies in your garden, you need never worry" - Buddhist vegetarian cuisine: "Golden needles" essential ingredient - Symbol of Mother's Day in China (pre-Western influence) - Appalachian folk tradition: Daylily fritters at summer gatherings - Victorian flower language: Daylily meant "coquetry" or "flirtation" - Modern foraging icon: "Gateway edible"—easy to identify, abundant, delicious

🌾 Seed Saving / Propagation

  • Seed method: Flowers produce seed pods (triploid H. fulva is sterile; diploid species produce seed). Seeds are black, round. Harvest when pods brown and split.
  • Isolation: 2+ miles (insect-pollinated, crosses readily between varieties)
  • Viability: 3-5 years
  • Division: PRIMARY method. Every 4-6 years in spring or fall. Dig entire clump, divide fans (leaf clusters) with roots attached. Replant immediately. Each fan becomes new plant.
  • Special notes: Best eating: flower buds day before opening, flowers on day of opening (hence "day" lily—each flower lasts one day). Tubers harvested fall or early spring (like Jerusalem artichoke). Young leaves edible in spring (cut outer leaves, center regrows). Store tubers in sand like carrots. Flowers can be dried for storage.

📖 Sources Consulted

  1. Missouri Botanical Garden. "Hemerocallis fulva (Tawny Daylily)." Plant Finder Database, 2024.
  2. Chinese Agricultural University. "Traditional Chinese Vegetables: Daylily." Beijing, 2022.
  3. Facciola, Stephen. The Food and Healing Plants. 2nd ed., Timber Press, 2012.
  4. Gibbons, Euell. Stalking the Wild Asparagus. Alan Hood Books, 1962 (classic foraging guide).
  5. Royal Horticultural Society. "Hemerocallis (Daylily)." RHS Plant Database, 2024.

Added to WV Planting Guide 26155 — The Loop Farmstead