Can I Plant Different Colored Daylilies Close to Orange Ones?

Question:

I've always heard that you shouldn't plant different color daylilies close to the orange ones because it will cause them all to be orange.Is this true? Orange ones seem to grow wild here.

Karen L. from West TN

Answer:

Hi Karen,

I'm assuming that the orange daylilies you are talking about are common daylilies, (Hemerocallis fulva), also referred to as Tawny Daylilies, Orange Daylilies, or Roadside Ditch Lilies by some. Common daylilies are considered invasive plants in many parts of the United States. That's because they are usually willing to grow almost anywhere and in almost any type of environment-sun, shade, drought, monsoon, rich soil, or poor soil. Once orange daylilies establish themselves, they are hard to kill even with chemicals.

Common Orange Daylilies do not set seed. Instead, they spread slowly by way of underground rhizomes. Mixing them in with other colors is not the primary concern. As Beth already stated below, these flowers are incredibly resistant to insects and disease so they have a tendency to grow into huge colonies and out-compete nearby species. Many gardeners have planted them only to be unable to get rid of them later. It's not recommended that you plant these in the midst of other perennials, or anywhere that you do not want them to spread.

For information about daylilies, visit the American Hemerocallis Society at http://www.daylilies.org/

Ellen