I suppose there are still some gardeners who associate daylilies with the common Hemerocallis fulva, an orange flowered species native to much of Asia. This plant spreads by underground stolons and roots, making it difficult to fully dig out. A tiny piece of stem quickly becomes a stand of dull orange daylilies. In my area it is known as the "ditch lily' because it fills in ditches and crowds out other plants. Some states actually list this daylily as an invasive plant. They have their place, but not in a daylily garden.
If I wanted a bright flash of orange in my perennial bed I would try "Primal Scream" daylily or perhaps "Holiday Delight."
PRIMAL SCREAM
HOLIDAY DELIGHT
Fulva is muddy compared to these beauties.
FULVA
Another color folks often avoid (too "common"?) in daylilies is yellow. "Omomuki" has wonderful yellow tones with a nice ruffled edge. I also like the way Mary's Gold stands out in any garden. It has huge strong blooms and is a good grower. Ferengi's Gold is another pretty yellow daylily with great ruffling on the pedals.
OMOMUKI
MARY'S GOLD
FERENGI's GOLD
Daylilies bloom mid summer and are cheerful additions to any garden. They come in every shape and color, although hybridizers have yet to come up with a true blue. Ours are all large field-dug plants in gallon containers for $7.99 each. We have a sale going on right now - buy three and get the fourth one free.
The daylily shown above is "Larry's Obsession" and no, I don't have it for sale. A Missouri resident, Larry Gooden, paid $6,300 at a Canadian-American daylily meeting to name this flower. (Photo from National Gardening Association.)
