Common day lily, Tawny Daylily
Hemerocallis fulva

Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 40-150 cm tall. Plants usually lose their leaves during the winter. The roots are fleshy with swollen tubers near the tip. There can be stolons or runners up to 30 cm long. The leaves are narrow and 50-90 cm long by 1-2.8 cm wide. The flowers occur as double groups of 2-5 flowers. The flowers are yellow or orange. They do not have a scent. They open in the morning and close in the evening of the same day. The fruit is a capsule. It is oval and 2-2.5 cm long by 1.2-1.5 cm wide. Several varieties are recognised.

There are about 15 Hemerocallis species. Chemical composition (flowers): Protein = 9.3%. Fat = 25%. Ash = 0.9%. Carbohydrate = 60% (rich in sugar). Rich in Vitamin A and some B vitamins. Also put in the family Hemerocallidaceae.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests and thickets in grasslands and near streams from 300-2500 m altitude in China. It suits hardiness zones 4-9. In XTBG Yunnan. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Caucasus, Central America, China (country/location of origin), Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Europe, Eswatini, France, Germany, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indochina, Italy, Jamaica, Japan (country/location of origin), Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, SE Asia, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, Turkey, Türkiye, Ukraine, USA, Vietnam, Yugoslavia

How it is used for food

The dried lily buds need soaking for 30 minutes before adding to a dish. They are used in stir fried dishes as well as soups and stews. The young shoots can be added to salads. The young flower buds can be boiled. They are used to flavour food. The root or bulb can be made into flour for cooking. They are also boiled and creamed, baked, mashed or made into fritters.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, root, bulb, shoots, vegetable

How it is grown

It is grown vegetatively. It rarely if ever sets seed.

Its other names

Local names

Chin cheng tsai, Chu-ta, Dok mai cheen, Fulvus daylily, Golden needles, Hoa hien, Huanghuacai, Kanzou, Kim cham, Orange day lily, Rumenorjava maslenica, Shina-kanzo, Wonchurri, Xuan cao, Yabu-kanzo, Yellow flower vegetable

Synonyms

Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus var. fulva L.;