Amur daylily, Middendorf, Daylily
Hemerocallis middendorffii
Family: Hemerocallidaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early fall, Late summer. H. middendorffii is an herbaceous perennial growing to 0.9m. It has linear arching leaves with golden yellow or orange flowers that are slightly fragrant. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). Edible Parts include the Flowers and Leaves. Medicinal Uses include: Antidote; Diuretic. Other Uses include: Weaving. The tough dried foliage is plaited into cord and used for making footwear. Form: Irregular or sprawling.
Hemerocallis middendorffii is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.9 m (3ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.9
Where it is found
Meadows in high mountains of N. Japan. Forests, forest margins, meadows and wet grasslands from near sea level to 2000 metres in China.
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 5
Leaves and young shoots - cooked. They must be consumed when very young or else they become fibrous. Flowers and flower buds - raw or cooked. The flowers can be dried and used as a thickener in soups etc. The flower buds contain about 43mg vitamin C per 100g, 983 IU vitamin A and 3.1% protein.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The juice of the roots is an effective antidote in cases of arsenic poisoning. A tea made from the boiled roots is used as a diuretic.
Antidote: Counters poisoning.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Other
Rating: 2
The tough dried foliage is plaited into cord and used for making footwear. Plants form a spreading clump and are suitable for ground cover when spaced about 45cm apart each way. The dead leaves should be left on the ground in the winter to ensure effective cover. (This report was for a plant labelled H. middendorfiana, which I have assumed is a mis-spelling of this species). Attractive flowers.
Weaving: Items such as grass and palm leaves that are woven together for making mats, baskets etc. See also Basket making and Fibre.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Ground cover: Ground Cover
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Ground cover, Massing, Seashore. Succeeds in most soils, including dry ones, preferring a rich moist soil and a sunny position but tolerating partial shade. Plants flower less freely in a shady position though the flowers can last longer in such a position. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in short grass if the soil is moist. Prefers a pH between 6 and 7. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Individual flowers are short-lived, but the plant produces a succession of blooms and also flowers again in late summer. The plant has a fibrous root system that does not extend far. Plants take a year or two to become established after being moved but then form large clumps. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits. The plants are very susceptible to slug and snail damage, the young growth in spring is especially at risk. Special Features: Attractive foliage, Not North American native, Naturalizing, Attracts butterflies, Suitable for cut flowers, Fragrant flowers.
Propagating it: Seed - sow in the middle of spring in a greenhouse. Germination is usually fairly rapid and good. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow the plants on for their first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring. Division in spring or after flowering in late summer or autumn. Division is very quick and easy, succeeding at almost any time of the year. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Ground Cover; Meadow; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Large quantities of the leaves are said to be hallucinogenic. Blanching the leaves removes this hallucinatory component. (This report does not make clear what it means by blanching, it could be excluding light from the growing shoots or immersing in boiling water.)