day lily flower Double Orange Daylily

day lily flower Double Orange DaylilyHave you ever been overwhelmed by the amount of daylily varieties on the market and wondered about their ability to survive in YOUR garden? The thought crosses your mind that all you really want is the one that does so well in so many of the country gardens and old home places. This is THAT daylily, the old fashioned double trumpet orange blooming daylily. This orange daylily in its single form is known as the tawny daylily and botanically as

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the amount of daylily varieties on the market and wondered about their ability to survive in YOUR garden? The thought crosses your mind that all you really want is the one that does so well in so many of the country gardens and old home places. This is THAT daylily, the old fashioned double trumpet orange blooming daylily. This orange daylily in its single form is known as the tawny daylily and botanically as Hemerocallis fulva . This is the double selection known as Hemerocallis fulva "Kwanso."

How to Plant:

1. Daylilies perform best in full sun with well-drained soil.

2. Don't plant near trees or shrubs.

3. Dig a hole wide enough for the roots to spread out.

4. Plant the crown of the plant (where the roots and leaves meet) about 1 inch deep.

5. Water thoroughly.

Caring for Daylilies:

Daylilies do not need any special care. They can be neglected and ignored which is why you see them at old home sites; however, if you want them to perform their best, try the following steps.

1. Make sure they receive about 1" of water per week.

2. If you want more blooms, remove spent blooms when you see them wilting to prevent seed production.

3. You can cut the entire daylily scape back after blooming or wait until the fall.

4. You can add compost to the soil around the plants in the spring.

Dividing and Transplanting Daylilies:

Daylilies can multiply quickly so unless they are contained you will likely need to divide them every 3-5 years. Dividing also helps the established plants create better blooms.

1. It is best to divide the daylilies after blooming. Make sure they will have about 6-8 weeks to get established in their new location before winter weather.

2. Dig up entire root clumps so dig a little deeper in order to protect the roots.

3. Remove as much soil as possible from the roots.

4. Try to make sure that each clump has healthy roots and then plant like above.

Landscaping:

Many selections of daylilies are wonderful, but this is the heirloom orange daylily that has proven itself so successful throughout the years. We see it as a standalone plant for many borders, but I do have some favorite combination ideas on how to use it in your landscape. At the top of that list, is of course to mix them in with red spider lilies. When the spider lily foliage begins to die back in late April, the daylily foliage comes alive and covers the soon to be mature and brown foliage of the spider lily. We soon have beautiful orange blooms in the spot where the spider lilies once were.

Around mid to late September, as the daylily foliage is on its way out, the beautiful red spider lilies come up and bloom! A late fall freeze will finally do the daylily foliage in, giving the freshly emerging spider lily foliage an opportunity to fill the void with its dark green foliage all winter long. Your garden need never be without color or texture!

Buy now to get your daylilies started, and mix in with spider lilies when they are available later in the season. Enjoy this old heirloom single orange blooming daylily, Hemerocallis fulva "Kwanso"!

Daylilies as Cut Flowers

Daylilies are spectacular in your garden, but they can make nice cut flowers as well. If you cut the flower after it has already opened though, the bloom will only last a day or two. However, you can cut them when the buds are just about to open and then you will have flowers for up to a week. Change the vase water every couple of day and remove the faded flowers daily.

Fun Fact:

It is said that if a daylily opens later (after 7am) or closes earlier (before 7pm) than its usual time then you should watch for rain to come.