Grassleaf Day Lily, Small daylily
Hemerocallis minor

Family: Hemerocallidaceae

What it is like

Hemerocallis minor is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. 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): 0.5

Where it is found

Water meadows, elevated wet places with sandy soils, forest glades, mountain slopes and scrub.

E. Asia - N. China, Korea.

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. One report says that eating these leaves appears to stimulate or intoxicate to some extent. Flowers and flower buds - raw or cooked. Considered to be a great delicacy. The flowers are a traditional food in China where they are steamed and then dried. The flowers can be dried and used as a relish or a thickener in soups etc. The flower buds contain about 43mg vitamin C per 100g, 983 IU vitamin A and 3.1% protein. Root - raw or cooked. A radish-like flavour but not so sharp.

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

Medicine

Rating: 1

Anodyne, antidote, diuretic, febrifuge. The juice of the roots is an effective antidote in cases of arsenic poisoning. The root also has a folk history of use in the treatment of cancer - extracts from the roots have shown antitumour activity. A tea made from the boiled roots is used as a diuretic.

Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.

Antidote: Counters poisoning.

Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.

Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.

Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.

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 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. A very cold-hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -25°c. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. A very ornamental plant, its roots are slender and not tuberous, whilst the rhizomes are not spreading. The roots sometimes have bulbous swellings at their tips. The flowers open in the evening and live for about 2 days. The flowers have a powerful scent of honeysuckle. 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.

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. gracilis. H. graminae. H. graminifolia.