An Introduction to the World of Daylilies

The term daylily is a source of confusion to many people. Even though the flower has some resemblance to the lily, daylilies are not related to lilies at all. The botanical name for daylily is Hemerocallis. The name is derived from Greek and means "beautiful for a day". While it is true that each bloom only lasts a day, there are so many flowers formed on each scape (flower stem) that an established clump of daylilies will bloom for many weeks.

The original twenty or so species of daylilies that are the predecessors of our cultivated lilies come from many parts of the world including Siberia, the Ukraine, Japan and tropical Nepal.

The tawny lily gracing so many roadsides in Canada was brought to Canada by the pioneers. It escaped from their gardens and naturalized freely. From the original 16 species there are now over 60,000 registered varieties with at least ten thousand on the market today.

Daylilies are often called the perfect perennial. They are available in every colour of the rainbow except true blue and an almost bewildering variety of shapes and sizes. They are the perfect plant for the beginning gardener or anyone who wants a no fuss plant.

They are adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions and are quite drought tolerant once established. They are pest and disease resistant. Daylilies are also so easy to work with in a landscape design

They can be mass planted, mixed into a perennial border, partnered with grasses or incorporated into a foundation planting. It is no wonder they have become one of the most popular perennials in North America.

The choice in daylilies is bewildering. We grow over 1000 varieties and are constantly testing new plants to see how they perform in our Zone 4 garden. All the plants listed in our catalogue are ones we have been pleased with and know that you will enjoy growing.