Plants
Daylily
Hemerocallis · Asphodelaceae
The daylily is perhaps the most rewarding flowering perennial of all: robust, long-lived, virtually disease-free — in the perennial trade it is not called the „lazy gardener's plant“ for nothing. Each trumpet bloom lasts only a day, but an established clump opens new ones every morning for weeks. Important to know: despite the name it is not a true lily — yet it remains dangerous for cats.
- Light
- Sun to light partial shade; in deep shade it will not flower.
- Watering
- Moderate; water matters most at budding time, established clumps tolerate dry spells.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Hemerocallis
Breeding has turned a handful of wild species into over 90,000 registered varieties: from the dainty, fragrant ‚Stella de Oro‘, which reblooms all summer, via classics like the lemon-yellow Hemerocallis citrina to large-flowered show varieties with ruffled edges and contrasting eyes. There are early, mid and late varieties — combined cleverly, the bed flowers from June to September.
As for the site, the daylily is undemanding: full sun brings the richest bloom, light partial shade is tolerated. It asks little of the soil as long as it is not permanently wet. Once established, the dense clump even crowds out weeds and stays in the same spot for ten years or more without dividing.
The most common care mistake is excessive worry: daylilies need neither winter protection nor constant feeding. What they really appreciate is water during bud formation in early summer — then the flowers become larger and more numerous. Spent blooms can be picked off daily to keep the clump tidy, but it is not a must.
Caution is needed in cat households: botanically, daylilies are no longer lilies (they were moved out of the family), but they damage cats' kidneys just like true lilies. Even nibbling on flowers or licking off pollen can trigger acute kidney failure in cats. Dogs, by contrast, react at most with stomach upset.
In the bed the daylily is a warm centre of gravity among delicate partners: delphinium and phlox set cool contrasts, yarrow and grasses pick up the meadow feel. As a cut flower it works with a trick — cut stems with many fat buds, which then open one after another in the vase, day by day.
Is Daylily toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Mildly irritating
- Cats
- Highly toxic
- Dogs
- Mildly irritating
For cats the daylily is highly toxic: like true lilies, even small amounts — including pollen on the fur — can trigger acute kidney failure. For dogs and children it is at most mildly irritating. Never use it in cat households.
Typical symptoms: In cats: vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, later increased or ceasing urination — go to the vet immediately, every hour counts. In dogs and children usually only gastrointestinal upset.
In an emergency:call the German poison control centre in Bonn on +49 228 19240 (24/7) — for pets, contact an emergency vet directly. This information does not replace medical or veterinary advice.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Plant in sun to light partial shade; the more sun, the richer the flowering.
- 02Water well during bud formation in early summer; otherwise it is drought-tolerant.
- 03A dose of compost in spring — the daylily needs no more feeding than that.
- 04Pick off spent blooms and cut finished stems back to the ground.
- 05Only divide clumps after many years, when flowering visibly declines.
- 06In cat households, skip daylilies or plant them out of reach.
Frequently asked
- Is the daylily toxic to cats?
- Yes, highly toxic. Although botanically not a true lily, Hemerocallis causes the same severe kidney damage in cats — even nibbled flowers or licked-off pollen can be life-threatening. If you suspect ingestion, go to the vet immediately; the first hours decide the outcome.
- Why does each daylily bloom last only one day?
- It is in the nature of the genus — the botanical name Hemerocallis literally means „beauty for a day“. The bloom opens in the morning and fades by evening. But because an established clump sends up dozens of stems with many buds, the plant as a whole flowers for several weeks.
- When do you divide daylilies?
- Best in spring as shoots emerge, or right after flowering in late summer. It only becomes necessary when the clump visibly flowers less after eight to ten years. The divisions establish reliably and usually flower again the following year.
- Do daylilies work as cut flowers?
- With the right trick, yes: cut stems carrying many fat buds already showing colour. Each bloom lasts only a day, but the buds open in succession in the vase, keeping the stem attractive for almost a week. Pick off spent blooms daily.