Yellow Day Lily
Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus

Family: Hemerocallidaceae

What it is like

Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is 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): 0.6

Where it is found

Rocky mountain woods, wet meadows and riversides on foothills of the S.E. Alps in Europe.

Original habitat is obscure, possibly China. An occasional garden escape in Britain.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked like asparagus or celery. They must be consumed when very young or else they become fibrous. Flower buds - raw or cooked. They taste somewhat like green beans. They contain about 43mg vitamin C per 100g, 983 IU vitamin A and 3.1% protein. Flowers - raw or cooked. They can be dried and used as a thickener in soups etc. If the flowers are picked just as they start to wither they can be used as a condiment. The flowers are a traditional food in China where they are steamed and then dried. Root - cooked. They taste like a blend of sweet corn and salsify. We have found them to be tender but fairly bland with a slight sweetness. The swollen roots are quite small and are only really worthwhile using if the plant is being dug up for divisions or some other reason.

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

Medicine

Rating: 2

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.

Antidote: Counters poisoning.

Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.

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.

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

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. Plants are very cold-hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -25°c. A very vigorous plant, spreading by underground rhizomes. The plant has a fibrous root system with occasional spindle-like swellings. Cultivated as a food and medicinal plant in Japan. Individual flowers are short-lived, they open at night and last for 20 - 76 hours. The plant produces a succession of blooms over a period of about 2 months. The flowers are fragrant. The flowers have a honeysuckle-like scent and this can pervade the air for a considerable distance when warmed by the summer sunshine. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. 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. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 12 through 2. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length. The root pattern is tuberous with swollen potato-like roots .

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:

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. flava.