Orange Daylily

Scientific Name: Hemerocallis fulva

INTRODUCTION

With showy, six-petaled flowers, the orange daylily is a drought-tolerant perennial that requires little maintenance. Its leathery leaves are evergreen, and the large, tawny flowers each bloom for only one day, hence the name “daylily.”

A popular garden plant, the orange daylily is also called the common daylily and and the tiger daylily. Considered invasive in some areas, H. fulva spreads quickly and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

USES

Although orange daylilies are poisonous to cats, they are not toxic to dogs or humans. (True lilies, on the other hand, are often irritating and poisonous to humans, so be careful not to mix them up.)

For thousands of years, daylilies have been a part of Chinese cuisine: its flower buds can be sautéed, young shoots used in salads, tubers boiled like potatoes, and flowers used to thicken soups or decorate a plate. However, for some people, daylilies may cause gastric distress or allergic reactions, so start with small amounts when trying it for the first time.