Top 10 Daylily Delights for Butterflies and Hummingbirds
Updated: Sep. 21, 2023
New daylily hybrids are better than ever, with bold colors, sturdy stems and bountiful blooms. Plus pollinators will love them!
All the flowers in this story are new Hemerocallis hybrids. They offer many colors and patterns and are strong, prolific bloomers. Plus they are less aggressive than some older daylily varieties.
Rainbow Rhythm Orange Smoothie Daylily
Zones 3 to 9
A band of light rose near the center of mango-colored flowers evokes memories of smoothies or orange push-up treats. The blooms are set on sturdy stems, and the plants will reach up to 24 inches tall. An abundance of buds form in early midsummer and again later in the season. Look for butterflies and hummingbirds!
Why we love it: The plentiful blooms and fragrance are a welcome addition to any garden.
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Dorothy and Toto
Zones 3 to 9
Large 6-inch blooms of fluffy rose, peach and cream with a green throat make this beauty a real standout in the garden. The fragrant flowers appear midseason and again later. The foliage on this 30-inch-tall plant is semi-evergreen, with some green remaining even through winter.
Why we love it: This beauty has received several awards, including the Stout Silver Medal in 2015. The award, which is named after a breeder, is a daylily’s highest honor.
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Primal Scream
Zones 3 to 9
This spider daylily has narrow, twisted, ruffled orange blossoms dusted with gold, and a green throat. This 2003 Stout Silver Medal winner is officially classified as an unusual form. The colorful and uniquely shaped 7- to 8-inch blossoms appear in early midsummer and are sure to be a standout in any garden.
Why we love it: At 34 inches tall, it makes a nice addition to the middle or back of a garden bed.
Stella D’Oro daylily is a resilient garden star.
Knickknack
Zones 4 to 10
It may be only 14 inches tall, but this miniature daylily puts on an impressive display with masses of bright golden orange blooms. The 1- to 2-inch flowers are substantial and appear early. It’s semi-evergreen and makes an ideal container or front-of-the-border plant.
Why we love it: Knickknack is the perfect size for small-space gardeners.
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Happy Ever Appster Red Hot Returns
Zones 4 to 9
Cherry red flowers with ruffled petals and contrasting apple green throats rest just above the deep green leaves. Flowers appear early midseason, around early July and again later in the season. The foliage is semi-evergreen. Like other daylilies, this type attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
Why we love it: Each flower remains open for at least 16 hours a day to extend your enjoyment.
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Little Lemon Twist
Zones 3 to 9
Start the daylily season with this early bloomer. The yellow flowers have a pinched or folded look, making them part of the “unusual form” classification of daylilies. The vivid 3-inch flowers bloom on tall 30-inch scapes that tower above the foliage.
Why we love it: This cheery daylily is a fast multiplier, so give it space to spread and create an impressive display.
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Spacecoast Sea Shells
Zones 3 to 9
Creamy flowers with a purple eye and edge look as if they were delicately hand-painted. The 5-inch blossoms appear in the early part of the midseason. This stunning daylily is 30 inches tall with evergreen foliage.
Why we love it: Like other daylilies, it tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
Toad lily adds beauty to fall shade gardens.
Neon Flamingo
Zones 3 to 9
Extra large 8-inch flowers of Neon Flamingo are sure to catch your attention. The narrow petals are, as the name implies, neon pink with a light pink mark above the yellow-green throat. The flowers are held high on nearly 3-foot-tall scapes.
Why we love it: The sun-loving, eye-catching flowers are also fragrant.
Grow Persian lily flowers for dark garden drama.
Wilson Spider
Zones 3 to 8
Recognized as one of the best spider daylilies, Wilson Spider has 7-inch, deep purple flowers with chartreuse throats and white midribs. The flowers are held above the foliage on 28-inch scapes and are sure to draw attention.
Why we love it: This relatively late bloomer will extend your daylily season.
Plant tropical ginger lily for late-season flowers.
Rainbow Rhythm Siloam Peony Display
Zones 3 to 9
Large 6-inch blooms resemble peony flowers. The elegant blooms have ruffled petals that sparkle in the sun and appear in midsummer and again later.
Why we love it: Its standout flowers top 18-to 24-inch-tall plants making it perfect for front-of-the-border areas.
Grow oriental lilies for outstanding garden color.
Daylily Options Galore
With more than 35,000 registered daylilies to choose from, it’s tough to pick one. Start with the Stout Silver Medal and Award of Merit winners that are selected for distinctive looks and their ability to grow in a wide geographic area.
Blackberry lily adds bold color to the flower garden.
Daylily Growing Tips
Daylilies are adaptable, thriving in full sun but tolerating light shade, especially during the hottest part of the day. They grow best with at least six hours of sun and prefer to be in moist and well-draining soils.
Native trout lily adds early spring color to shade.
Dissecting Daylilies
Most daylilies are diploids that contain two identical sets of chromosomes. Others are tetraploids that have four sets of chromosomes—these tend to be more vigorous growers, with more intense colors on sturdier scapes.
Next, learn how to grow and care for crinum lilies.
Originally Published: September 21, 2023
