Daylilies

Daylilies are a common site around our roadways this time of year. Daylily comes from a Greek word meaning beautiful flower; there are nearly 60,000 cultivars found throughout the world. Daylilies are a perennial herbaceous plant originally found from Europe extending into China. Daylily flowers are often used in Chinese cuisine roasted, dried, or made into a soup. These flowers have been introduced throughout the world and many species have become naturalized in America. Daylilies can reproduce from their root systems and often form large colonies. Daylilies have been known to have invasive qualities especially in streamside riparian areas. Like so many beautiful ornamental plants, they out-compete native species when they escape into the wild. They are best enjoyed in controlled garden settings.