Daylilies (Heremocallis species)

UT Arboretum Society volunteers planted approximately 50 Daylily cultivars adjacent to the Arboretum parking lot in the spring of 2013. These plants, which begin blooming in early June, were donated by Peter Shea from his extensive garden.

Daylilies, native to China, Korea, and Japan, were imported to Europe as early as the 16th Century. Thousands of named cultivars have been developed that differ in such features as flower color and shape, or time and season of blooming. Clumps of linear, grass-like leaves give rise to individual, leafless stalks usually bearing several flower buds. Each flower has three petals and three sepals which resemble each other (collectively called tepals). For most cultivars, the flowers open one at a time and last a single day — this trait is reflected in the common name Daylily and the scientific name Heremocallis (from the Greek meaning “beauty for a day”). Daylilies thrive in many different climatic zones and habitats. Although the flowers are similar to those of true Lilies, Daylilies belong to a separate plant family, the Xanthorrhoeaceae.

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