Daylily Hemerocallis

The daylily is probably most familiar to you as the common brilliant orange flower which grows out of of a lush tangle of long, vivid green straplike leaves, but it can also been found in shades of yellow, red, and even purples and pinks among the cultivated varieties. Originally native to the Far East, daylilies are members of the Lily family, although they have never been as highly prized as Oriental Lilies, which grow from a single stalk with smaller. lance-shaped, arching leaves which all extend out from the same central stalk. While Oriental Lilies produce a very limited number of blossoms, each of which may last for up to six days or more, daylily beds produce vast numbers of blooms which last for only one day. For simplicity, prettiness, and hardiness, daylilies are almost unbeatable in the American garden. They will spread rapidly to fill almost any space, bloom prolifically during a large portion of the middle of the summer, and the flowers are edible, and delicious in salads, stir-frys, and as garnishes.