Citron daylily
Hemerocallis citrina

Family: Hemerocallidaceae

What it is like

Hemerocallis citrina is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in) by 0.8 m (2ft 7in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is not self-fertile. 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): 0.8

Where it is found

Forest margins, grassy fields and slopes along valleys from near sea level to 2000 metres.

E. Asia - China.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

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 slender trumpets vary from 12 - 17cm long. There can be from 7 to 65 buds on a flowering stem. The flower buds contain about 43mg vitamin C per 100g, 983 IU vitamin A and 3.1% protein. Root - raw or cooked. The flavour is somewhat radish-like but not so sharp.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

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.

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.

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

Succeeds in most soils, including dry ones, preferring a rich moist soil. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeding in sun or shade, it produces more flowers in a sunny position though these flowers can be shorter-lived in very sunny positions. Succeeds in short grass if the soil is moist. Prefers a pH between 6 and 7. Plants are hardy to at least -20°c. Widely cultivated in China for its edible flowers, especially in Hunan province. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. This species is said to be self-incompatible. Many of the plants in cultivation under this name are H. thunbergii. The sub-species H. citrina vespertina (Hara.)Erhardt. is a very free-flowering form, producing up to 75 buds per scape and capable of flowering from July to October if the weather is suitable. The plant forms a loose spreading clump. The roots form pseudobulbs. Plants take a year or two to become established after being moved. 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. Individual flowers are very short-lived, they open in the late afternoon and die in the morning. However, plants produce a succession of flowers for several weeks of the summer. The number of flowers on a scape varies from 7 to 65. The flowers have a lemony scent. Another report says that they have a pronounced honeysuckle scent.

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; Meadow; Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth:

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.)

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

H. baroni.