Hemerocallis Ed Kirchhoff - Hémérocalle, Lis d'un jour

The daylily 'Ed Kirchhoff' is a saffron-yellow variety with large, fragrant flowers that are both warm and refined. Its slightly undulate corollas open to reveal an olive-green throat. This variety is also distinguished by its late to very late flowering for a daylily, and its ability to rebloom if the plant receives sufficient water. With a compact habit, it fits well in a border or at the heart of a perennial bed.

This daylily belongs to the family Asphodelaceae. It is also called the daylily, because each flower lives only one day. The genus Hemerocallis is native to temperate regions of Asia and Eastern Europe; wild species grow mainly in cool meadows, forest edges and on grassy slopes. 'Ed Kirchhoff' is a tetraploid horticultural hybrid, registered in 1981 by David Kirchhoff. Its parentage includes 'Double Jackpot', 'Amber Sunset', 'Evening Gown' and 'Yasmin'. The variety received the Eugene S. Foster Award in 1995, an award given to outstanding late-flowering daylilies. A daylily tetraploid possesses more chromosomes than ordinary forms, resulting in larger, thicker flowers and more vivid colours.
The plant forms a dense clump of long, narrow, arching medium green leaves arising from a fleshy rootstock. Its foliage is semi-evergreen: it may remain visible in winter in mild climates, but disappears more or less completely in cold regions. In flower, it reaches 55 to 60 cm in height and 40 to 50 cm in width. The scapes, sturdy and well erect above the foliage, bear large single flowers 12 to 13 cm in diameter. The petals and sepals, a warm saffron yellow, are slightly undulate on the edges. The olive-green throat brightens the heart of the flower. This flowering is fragrant.
'Ed Kirchhoff' is among the very late daylilies. In the garden, it flowers in August to September depending on the climate, and can still produce a few flowers if the late season remains mild and the soil is cool. This perennial has thick roots that store reserves and help it survive brief dry periods once well established.
Its name honours Ed Kirchhoff, founder of the American nursery Daylily World, who played a major role in modern daylily breeding.

In the garden, this variety 'Ed Kirchhoff' allows you to extend the daylily season until late summer. It can be planted in a row in a sunny border, or in small groups, with long-flowering perennial plants. You can pair it with the violet-blue Geranium 'Orion', the daylily 'Gentle Shepherd' (ivory-white with a green throat), the Echinacea 'Green Jewel' and the’Agastache 'Blue Fortune'. Near a path, you will better enjoy its fragrance.