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How to Grow Hemerocallis

Hemerocallis fulva

Perennial

Daylilies are among the most forgiving perennials, thriving in almost any soil in full sun to light shade. Plant with the crown just at soil level, spacing 45 cm apart. Each flower lasts only a day but a well-grown clump produces dozens of buds over several weeks. Remove spent scapes after flowering and cut back yellowed foliage in late autumn. Divide congested clumps every four to five years in spring to rejuvenate them.

Yearly Lifecycle

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JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Spring Growth Flowering Growing Leaf Fall

Care Essentials

Apply a balanced feed in spring as new growth appears. A second light feed after the main flush of flowers encourages rebloom in repeat-flowering varieties.

Watch For

  • Hemerocallis gall midge
  • Slugs on young shoots
  • Rust in wet summers

Companions

Grasses, Agapanthus, Crocosmia, Geranium

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Care Requirements

☀️ Light

Full sun to light shade

Flowers best in full sun with at least six hours of direct light. Tolerates light shade but flowering is reduced. Dark-coloured varieties benefit from afternoon shade to prevent petal bleaching.

💧 Watering

Regular watering, especially during flowering

Water regularly during the growing season, particularly when buds are forming and during flowering. Established plants are reasonably drought-tolerant but perform much better with consistent moisture.

🌱 Fertilizing

Balanced feed in spring, light feed after flowering

Apply a balanced general-purpose fertilizer in spring. A light feed after the main flowering flush encourages rebloom in repeat-flowering varieties. Avoid high-nitrogen feeds which produce lush foliage at the expense of flowers.

✂️ Pruning

Remove spent scapes, cut back foliage in autumn

Cut spent flower scapes to the base once all buds have opened. Remove yellowed foliage in late autumn. Do not cut back green foliage during the growing season as it feeds the roots for next year.

🍂 Mulching

Mulch in spring to retain moisture and suppress weeds

Apply a layer of garden compost or bark mulch in spring, keeping it away from the crown. This helps retain moisture, which daylilies appreciate, and suppresses weeds between the clumps.

Growing Tips

One day, many buds

Each flower lasts only a day, but a healthy plant produces so many buds that the display continues for weeks. Choose varieties with high bud counts for the longest show.

Divide to rejuvenate

After four to five years, clumps become congested and flowering declines. Lift and divide in spring, discarding the woody centre and replanting vigorous outer fans.

Remove spent scapes

Once all buds on a scape have flowered, cut the entire stem to the base. This tidies the plant and redirects energy to the roots.

Watch for gall midge

Hemerocallis gall midge causes swollen, distorted buds that fail to open. Pick off and destroy affected buds before the larvae pupate in the soil.

Pests & Diseases

Pest Hemerocallis Gall Midge

Identification: Swollen, distorted flower buds that feel soft and spongy; white larvae visible inside affected buds

Organic treatment:
  • Pick off and destroy all affected buds before they drop to the ground
  • Collect fallen buds and debris to prevent larvae pupating in the soil
Chemical treatment:
  • No effective chemical controls available; physical removal is the only option
Pest Slugs and Snails

Identification: Ragged holes in young leaves; slime trails on foliage and around the crown

Organic treatment:
  • Apply biological nematode control (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita) in early spring
  • Use copper tape or grit barriers around the crown
Chemical treatment:
  • Apply ferric phosphate slug pellets around emerging growth
Pest Aphids

Identification: Clusters of green aphids on flower buds and stems; sticky honeydew

Organic treatment:
  • Blast off with a strong jet of water
  • Encourage natural predators such as ladybirds and lacewings
Chemical treatment:
  • Spray with pyrethrin-based insecticide only if infestations are heavy
Disease Daylily Rust Puccinia hemerocallidis

Symptoms: Orange-brown pustules on the undersides of leaves; yellow streaks on upper leaf surfaces; premature leaf dieback

Treatment: Remove and destroy affected foliage; do not compost infected material

Prevention: Choose resistant varieties; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering

Disease Crown Rot

Symptoms: Soft, mushy crown; foul smell; leaves pull away easily from the base; plant fails to emerge in spring

Treatment: Dig up affected plants; cut away all rotten tissue; dust with sulphur and replant in fresh soil

Prevention: Ensure good drainage; avoid planting too deeply; do not pile mulch against the crown

Disease Leaf Streak

Symptoms: Yellow streaks along the leaf veins that turn brown; leaves die back from the tips

Treatment: Remove and destroy affected foliage; improve air circulation

Prevention: Good garden hygiene; remove dead foliage in autumn; avoid overhead watering

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