See information on our daylily garden and more information about daylilies in general on our page featuring Pine Branch Daylily Garden.

To print a complete listing of our available daylilies without the color photographs and minus the "sold out" listings, print catalog.

PLANTING AND GROWING DAYLILIES

WHERE TO PLANT

Most daylilies bloom best in full sun, even though they will tolerate part-shade conditions. They require a minimum of six hours of direct sun per day for maximum bloom and performance. Daylilies do not grow well near or under broadleafed trees, such as oaks, since these tree roots rob the soil of supplements daylilies need. If planted under oaks, daylilies will not die, but all desirable qualities will be minimized. Pine trees provide just the amount of dappled shade that will aid the daylily, and the deep root system of the pine will not intrude on the daylily's ability to absorb necessary nutrients and moisture.

WHEN TO PLANT

The most desirable planting time in the Deep South is early spring or very late fall. In the North, spring planting is usually preferred, as in the fall daylilies do not have time to form new roots and become established before winter strikes. An experienced daylily gardener will be able to make fall plantings. Each gardener has to learn the earliest average freezing date in his or her part of the country. The daylilies need to be planted six weeks before the first hard freeze. In the spring, plant after the last average freeze date.

HOW TO PLANT

The soil where you plan to plant your dayliles should be worked into a good loose condition to a depth of at least a foot. Compost, good garden soil, peat moss, sand, or well rotted manure can be worked into the existing soil to have a loose growing medium. A loose, friable soil promotes root growth and helps to establish plants.

Dig a hole larger than the root mass on your daylily. Make a mound in the center of the planting hole. Set the daylily on the mound, with the roots cascading down the sides of the mound. The crown (place where roots and foliage meet) should not be covered over one inch. Work the soil in good around the plant to make sure there are no air pockets. Water well after planting to insure soil is packed around plant.

Daylilies are normally spaced 18-24 inches apart, depending on the size of the plant. If you give them plenty of room, the plants will not need dividing so quickly, and the larger clumps will produce a mass of blooms.

REBLOOM

Many daylilies are registered as rebloomers. This word simply means that once the first scapes (bloom stalks) are bloomed out, the rebloomer puts up new scapes with more buds. Some daylilies rebloom at least twice. Each catalog listing will state "Re" if the daylily was registered as a rebloomer.

FOLIAGE GROWTH

Daylilies have three types of foliage growth:

• Dormant - The foliage dies completely in winter, with all new foliage each spring. Some dormants will not perform well in the hottest climates.
• Evergreen - The foliage is retained throughout the year. In colder climates, the foliage may freeze back, but the crown survives if well mulched. Some evergreens will not grow in colder climates.
• Semi-evergreen - Part or most of the foliage is lost in the winter, depending on how low the temperatures are. This class is for all daylilies that do not fit into one of the above.

The American Hemerocallis Society, commonly referred to as the National Daylily Society, is divided into 15 regions throughout the United States and Canada. Each region has several gardens that have been approved as Display Gardens after applying to the AHS and being shown to meet qualifications.

In general, an AHS Display Garden's main purpose is to educate visitors about modern daylilies. Qualifications include garden beds free of weeds, with growing conditions and culture showing the daylilies to their maximum potential. Every garden has a wide variety of cultivars, including a collection of AHS award winners from the last ten years. These flowers are well marked with the registered name of the cultivar and the hybridizer. In addition to maintaining an up-to-date collection for all to see, the gardeners agree to be open to the public during bloom season.

If you learn of an AHS Display Garden in your area and want to visit the garden, make sure you call before attempting a visit.