Hemerocallis On and On - Daylily

The Daylily or Hemerocallis 'On and On', known as "Encore et Encore" in French, lives up to its name with its continuous flowering from June to September. Robust and vigorous, it produces stunning flowers with apricot pink petals and sepals with undulated edges. Its compact growth habit makes it perfect for border decoration and pot cultivation. It thrives in a sunny location and ordinary, not-too-dry soil. The deciduous foliage disappears in autumn. Over the years, the shrub expands.

According to more recent classifications, the genus Hemerocallis belongs to the Liliaceae family or the Asphodelaceae family. Hemerocallis comes from the Greek words hémera, meaning day, and kalos, meaning beautiful or good, summarizing as "Beauty of a day". They are commonly called "Daylilies" or "Perennial Lilies" because their flowers resemble those of lilies and only last for a day. They are perennial and hardy plants with deciduous or sometimes semi-evergreen foliage.

The 'On and On' daylily is a diploid hybrid variety obtained by Hardin in 1994. It grows rapidly and forms a dense, low clump, reaching a height of 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16in) with a spread of approximately 50 cm (20in). Daylilies tend to spread a bit when they are happy with their surroundings. Carried on sturdy stems, the flowers measure 10 to 12 cm (4 to 5in) in diameter. Each flower comprises three soft pink, velvety petals and sepals, with a chartreuse heart and a slightly undulated border. In the centre, six stamens stand out, each topped with a yellow anther with two lobes. Each flower only lasts for a day, but the flowering continuously flowers from June to September. The stems are strong and allow for beautiful bouquets. The linear, vibrant green foliage is abundant from April to October, then turns yellow in autumn before disappearing for the winter.

The 'On and On' daylily is a robust and generous perennial plant. It is ideal for a perennial bed's background or the shrub bed's front. Very easy to grow, daylilies thrive equally well in shade or full sun. Thanks to their short rhizome root system and fleshy roots, they establish easily in dry soils, but they will be more abundant and floriferous in moister soils. Some can be invasive, so divide the clumps every four or five years, preferably in autumn after flowering. Daylilies are often called the "perfect perennial plant" because of their vibrant colours, ability to tolerate any environment, and beautiful exuberance that blends well with other perennials. Plant them generously in the background of your flower beds. All summer flowering bulbous plants can be planted alongside daylilies.

The 'On and On' daylily pairs well with flowers in soft or pastel shades, such as mauve, blue, violet, or reddish-orange. A very colourful composition can be combined with crocosmias, gladioli, lilies, dahlias, etc. In moist soil, it can be planted near a pond alongside Iris pseudacorus, Asian primroses, astilbes, etc. For a lighter touch in a soft and harmonious bed, it can be paired with gauras, flax, bellflowers, white-flowered yarrows, and grasses like Pennisetum or Calamagrostis. With its low and compact growth habit, 'On and On' can be easily grown in containers or pots on a balcony or patio, providing sufficient and regular watering. The flowers are edible; they add colour to salads and decorate desserts.