June is for Daylilies
Daylilies are blooming in practically every color right now. (The photos here are from our garden.) The original daylilies were Hemerocallis flava and Hemerocallis fulva, the Chinese orange daylily commonly seen growing alongside the road. Known to have been in cultivation since 479 B.C., historically they were used for food and medicine. The early hybrids were yellows and oranges, and then later, the lavender, pink, cream and red hybrids came from the pink-orange color in ditch lilies. Although those tall orange ones gave daylilies a bad rap because they are invasive, the hybrids are an easy-care garden choice. They can tolerate any soil other than wet clay, they are rarely bothered by insects or diseases, and they bloom in full or part-sun. Not only are daylilies non-toxic to children and pets, their pollen is non-allergenic, making them ideal for family gardens. A single plant is called a fan and the fans multiply steadily, requiring dividing only every 3 y...