Hemerocallis altissima
Family: Hemerocallidaceae
What it is like
Hemerocallis altissima is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft). It is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to September. 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): 1.2
Where it is found
Forest margins, grassy fields and slopes along valleys, from near sea level to 2000 metres.
E. Asia - S. 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 tubular flowers are about 5cm long and 7.5cm in diameter. The flower buds contain about 43mg vitamin C per 100g, 983 IU vitamin A and 3.1% protein. Root - raw or cooked. The taste is somewhat like radishes 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:
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.
How it is grown
Succeeds in most soils, including dry ones, preferring a rich moist soil. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in short grass if the soil is moist. Succeeding in sun or shade, it produces more flowers in a sunny position though these flowers can be shorter-lived in very sunny positions. Prefers a pH between 6 and 7. According to the Flora of China, this species is no more than a synonym for H. citrina. It is, however, seen as a distinct species in other treatments and so is maintained here as a separate species. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. The plant forms pseudobulbs, these stand vertically in the ground. Individual flowers are very short-lived, they open in the late afternoon and fade in the following morning. 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, pot up the seedlings in 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; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness:
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.)