Hemerocallis Lemon Lyric - Daylily

The Daylily or Hemerocallis 'Lemon Lyric' is a floriferous and attractive selection with a very tender yellow flowering. Its medium-sized flowers have rounded shapes and a green throat that harmonizes with the pastel yellow petals of thick substance that seem to be coloured in mass. This rather tall variety blooms quite early, around mid-June. It quickly forms beautiful, generously flowering clumps on a fountain of foliage that is elegant in spring and deciduous in winter.

The genus Hemerocallis belongs to the family Liliaceae. These are perennial and hardy plants with deciduous foliage, sometimes semi-evergreen. The variety 'Lemon Lyric', introduced in 1985, grows in a reasonably dense clump that will reach 60 cm (24in) in height for the foliage, 70-75 cm (28-30in) in flower, with a relative spread of 60 cm (24in). Daylilies tend to spread a little when they like the terrain. The flowers measure about 15 cm (6in) in diameter, and the petals in this variety are thick and wide, curving backwards. Their colour is very soft yellow, light Naples yellow mixed with lemon yellow and creamy yellow, and their relatively slender base is green-yellow. The long-recurved stamens adopt the same pale yellow colour. Each flower lasts no more than a day, but the flowering continually repeats over a beautiful period between mid-June and July. The stems are robust and filled with numerous buds. The foliage is linear and deciduous. Daylilies are plants with short rhizomes and fleshy roots that tolerate dry soils but are more opulent and floriferous in moist soil.

Very easy to grow, these plants thrive in shade and sun. Some can be invasive, so do not hesitate to divide the clumps every four or five years, preferably in autumn after flowering. The daylily is often called  "the perfect perennial plant" because of its vibrant colours and ability to tolerate any environment. It is also due to its lack of modesty, as it is beautifully exuberant and blends well with other perennials. Plant them in generous clumps at the back of your borders. All summer bulb flowers can be planted alongside daylilies. 'Lemon Lyric' will be enhanced by blue or mauve flowers (perennial flax, phacelia, leadwort, bellflowers, paniculate phlox) in a large bed of perennials or annuals, or even combined with grasses and beautiful foliage such as fennel or lady's mantle. Large pots of at least 30 cm (12in) deep on a balcony or patio should be used, and dwarf varieties should be chosen. The flowers are edible: they brighten up salads and decorate desserts.