Taxonomy

Scientific Name

Hemerocallis fulva
(L.) L.

Common Names

tawny daylily, orange daylily, tawny daylily, common daylily

Overview

Appearance: Tawny daylily is a bulbous perennial, 2-4 ft. tall with round stems. Daylily buds and flowers are edible and have a sweet-spicy or peppery flavor.
Foliage: Leaves are long, linear, strap-like, bright-green, 1-3 ft. (0.3-1 m) long and curve toward the ground.
Flowers: Flowers are large, showy, orange, usually with some striping; occur in clusters of 5-9 at the tip of the stalk; flowers in a cluster open one at a time, each for one day only; summer.
Fruit: Spreads by growth from thick, tuberous roots from which new plants are produced; seed; people tossing away whole pulled plants and by farm equipment or other machinery in fields.
Ecological Threat: Daylilies established in natural areas pose a threat to native plants in field, meadows, floodplains, moist woods and forest edges. Once established, daylily multiplies and spreads to form dense patches that displace native plants. The thick tubers make it a challenge to control. Common or orange daylily was introduced into the United States in the late 19th century as an ornamental.

Hemerocallis fulva