Hemerocallis Lucretius - Daylily

The Daylily or Hemerocallis Lucretius is a robust, sumptuous German variety adorned gardens for over 50 years. This beautiful plant captivates with its giant flowers, an unmistakable cadmium orange, a pure, sunny shade that is easy to combine with summer blooms. This daylily blooms late but for an extended period between July and September. Its evergreen foliage is elegant even outside of flowering. It is also an easy-to-grow perennial, guaranteed to succeed in fertile and moist soil. There are so many reasons to adopt it in all our regions!

The genus Hemerocallis belongs to the Liliaceae family. These are hardy perennial plants with deciduous foliage, sometimes semi-evergreen or evergreen. 'Lucretius, a tetraploid introduced in 1959, is distinguished by its vigour and the colour of its large flowers, which are of remarkable intensity. This prolific perennial grows in a reasonably dense clump that reaches 90 cm (35in) in height, with a relative spread of 80-90 cm (32-35in); daylilies tend to spread a bit when they like the terrain. The slightly fragrant flowers, large and very rounded, measure about 17 cm (7in) in diameter. The petals in this variety are thick and somewhat wavy. Each flower lasts no more than a day, but the flowering repeats continuously until September if the soil remains moist. The stems are robust and well-branched, therefore particularly floriferous. The foliage is abundant, linear, and evergreen. 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" because of its vibrant colours and ability to tolerate any environment. Still, out of lack of modesty, it has a beautiful exuberance that goes well with other perennials. Plant them in generous clumps at the back of your borders. All summer bulb flowers can be planted alongside daylilies. 'Lucretius' will fit perfectly into the decor of a romantic or classic garden, with cornflowers, bellflowers, penstemons, perennial flax, lemon yellow daylilies (Hemerocallis citrina), or mauve to purple phlox by its side. The combination of orange and white is exquisite; foxgloves, giant daisies, Alstroemeria psittacina 'Variegata', or silver candles can accompany the beautiful flowering of 'Lucretius'.