| One of the things that makes growing daylilies so | | | | may stay green all year long. |
| popular is this beautiful perennial's adaptability. | | | | - Evergreens: as the name implies, these varieties |
| Though it has preferences about light and climate, | | | | keep green foliage all year long. This makes them |
| there are few places so inhospitable that a daylily | | | | a popular addition to southern gardens, though |
| won't thrive there. | | | | many are also cold hardy. But in climates where |
| | | | the temperature varies enough to create |
| Climate Requirements: Daylilies are hardy just | | | | repeated freeze-thaw cycles evergreen daylilies |
| about everywhere - there are cultivars that are | | | | are at risk; many have a hard time recovering |
| at their best in zones two and nine and varieties | | | | from frozen foliage. |
| for everywhere in between. Because cultivars | | | | Light Requirements: Daylilies are at their exuberant |
| may be region-specific (bred to meet the growing | | | | best spending most of their time in full sun, with |
| requirements in a certain area) be sure to check | | | | perhaps a little partial shade during the hottest |
| the zone hardiness on any you purchase. | | | | hours of the day. But these adaptable beauties will |
| | | | cooperate in less than ideal conditions. |
| Take foliage pattern into consideration | | | | A minimum of five or six hours a day of full sun |
| Daylilies have three distinctive foliage patterns, and | | | | in an open western or southern exposure is |
| it's important to understand how climate can | | | | perfect, but if that's not possible daylilies will grow |
| effect each foliage pattern: | | | | in much less light. With sufficient light daylilies are |
| - Dormant: Some cultivars need a set period of | | | | densely flowered, bushy, and compact, but in |
| dormancy each year, and that period is generally | | | | conditions with too little light they will be lankier, |
| triggered by changes in temperature and daily light | | | | produce fewer flowers, and may lean toward the |
| cycles. In climates where the temperature doesn't | | | | light. |
| go below 40 degrees, there might not be enough | | | | Choose darker colors for areas of lower light |
| of a change to trigger dormancy. These are the | | | | Generally speaking, the lighter the color of the |
| most commonly grown daylilies in northern | | | | flowers, the more direct sun the daylily requires |
| regions. | | | | to be at it's finest. Daylilies with dark flowers |
| - Semievergreen: In colder climates | | | | appreciate protection from the hottest afternoon |
| semievergreen daylilies will die back just as the | | | | sun, which can burn their petals. |
| dormants do, but in warm climates the foliage | | | | |