Jun 13, 20233 min read

The Daylily - A Lesson in Balance and Love

AKA: Hemerocallis, L. Family of Asphodelaceae and sub family of Hemerocallidaceae; Day Lilies, Ditch Lilies, Orange Lilies, Tawney Lilies, Dwarf Lilies, Reblooming Daylilies, Evergreen Daylilies, Lemon Lily, Tiger Lily, and many more.

Propagation/Description: These beautiful flowers grow 1-1.5 feet tall. Plant in full sun to partial shade in well-drained soil high in organic matter. When planting, cover tubers in 1 inch of soil. It is not usually necessary to lift and store them for the winter. Propagate plants by division in the fall or spring. They are drought tolerant.

Folklore/History: There are over 80,000 different varieties of this flower but the original plants are native to Asia dating back 2,000 years and are not, in fact, lilies. The genus name is derived from the Greek words hemera, meaning day, and kallos, meaning beauty, referring to the fact that each flower lasts only a day. By the 18th century, they made their way to Europe and quickly became popular with plant enthusiasts there. European immigrants brought daylily tubers with them to the New World and the flowers naturalized in their new home by the early 1800s. In Chinese literary works, daylily is also called the grass that help forget sorrow, because its Chinese name means forgetting. Daylily was originally used to express love for lovers and was associated with mothers since the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Beginning in the Victorian era with the language of flowers, daylily flower meaning includes “forgetting worries” and “flirtatious.” In ancient times, the lily was dedicated to Hera, the wife of Zeus. A less then faithful spouse, Zeus fathered his son Hercules by the mortal woman Alceme. Although the mother was mortal, Zeus wanted his son to have divine powers, so he brought the baby to Hera while she slept to allow the baby to nurse and receive divine powers through her milk. When she awoke, she flung the child from her in wrath. Her milk spewed across the universe, forming the Milky Way. Some drops of her milk fell to earth. These drops were believed to become the first lilies. In some cultures, pregnant women wore them around their waists as they believed it would encourage the birth of male child.

Medicinal: Diuretic, febrifuge, laxative (mild). The flowers are anodyne, antiemetic, antispasmodic, depurative, febrifuge, and sedative. In China they are used as an anodyne for women in childbirth. An extract of the flowers is used as a blood purifier. The rhizome has shown antimicrobial activity, it is also tuberculostatic and has an action against the parasitic worms that cause filariasis. It is used in Korea to treat oppilation, jaundice, constipation, and pneumonia. The juice of the roots is an effective antidote in cases of arsenic poisoning. The root also has a folk history of use in the treatment of cancer - extracts from the roots have been shown in studies to have antitumor activity. It has also been shown to have hemostatic actions and help with ulcers. It may also be anti-bacterial.

Spiritual: Various cultures around the world have associated the daylily with forgetting the past and representing the ephemeral. The temporary nature of everything in the universe. It has more recently become a symbol of flirtatious behavior due to its habit of each flower only lasting one day after blooming. Daylilies, most commonly, come in yellow and orange. These two colors represent energy, joy, and power. Some current day cultures believe it to represent purity, innocence, and rebirth. In China, the Daylily has several different and not entirely related meanings. First, specific colors of orange and pink Daylilies can symbolize the bond between a parent and a child. Finally, it’s also a symbol of longevity and wisdom.

Summary: Whatever your belief in what the flower symbolizes, we can all agree that it brings happiness, joy, and beauty into this world. Eat it as a flavorful, interesting, and nutritious treat or let it bring health and joy into your life. This beautiful flower that our mother has provided will ever represent beauty, love, and friendship to me. It is my best friends favorite flower and because of that it will always hold a special place in my heart!