Night Blooming Daylily Flowers

Hemerocallis species known for having night blooming flowers include H.citrina, H. altissimas and H. lilioasphodelus syn. flava. While the species plants were discovered long ago, in modern flower gardens they are still grown and from these, hybrid plants were developed providing a greater variety for gardeners. These nocturnal daylilies offer fragrant scents and brighten evening patio gardens.

Tall Yellow Daylilies

The Hemerocallis citrina is a tall yellow daylily that blooms in the middle of the growing season. The petals are long separated sections. The sepals are green with purple tips and the foliage is dark green. H. citrina ‘Yao Ming’ grows to 60″ tall with large flowers, the plant has good branching on sturdy stems. However, this daylily is only hardy as far north as zone 5.

Hemerocallis ‘Tetrina’s Grand-Daughter’ is hardier from zones 4 – 10. It is a tetraploid form of H. citrina, growing 52″ tall developing 6″ blooms. The flowers have a light lemon yellow color, lemon scent and ruffled margins. Just as with all the flowers mentioned in this article, they open in the evening. But, H. ‘Tetrina’s Grand-Daughter’ has blooms that continue throughout the next day as well.

Hemerocallis ‘Hyperion’ is a diploid mid-season flowering yellow daylily. The plant grows slightly shorter from 30″ – 42″ tall with a 5 ½ ‚” diameter flower. H. ‘Hyperion’ is considered an heirloom daylily because it was registered in 1925.

Hemerocallis ‘Autumn Minaret’ is a diploid hybrid developed from H. altissima x H. fulva registered in 1951. The very tall plants reach 68″ and have a large flower measuring 5″ diameter. The thin ruffled petals are pale yellow at the margins, gold at the center with a rust-colored throat.

Heirloom Hemerocallis Plants

Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus syn. flava was first registered in 1762, however Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus was found as far back in gardens of the 16th century. At modern-day plant sellers, the daylily is often labeled as H. ‘Lemon Lily.’

Hemerocallis altissimas is a 6′ tall yellow daylily. It flowers in late summer and is only hardy from zone 6 – 9.

Early Season Flowering Daylilies

Gardeners looking for an early season flowering daylily can find a nocturnal bloomer in Hemerocallis ‘Bright Carnival.’ It is a tetraploid form that grows 24″ – 28″ tall and has a high bud count. The 5 ½” ruffled flowers are brick red petals with yellow midribs.

Daylilies for Small Gardens

Among the shortest, but not dwarf or miniature, daylilies for small gardens, is Hemerocallis ‘Beauty to Behold.’ It is a diploid, mid-season bloomer attaining a height of 22″ – 26.”

Hemerocallis ‘Beauty to Behold’ is the classic 5 ½ ‚” lemon yellow color. However, the petals are recurved and the throat is chartreuse with reddish rust colored anthers. Gardeners will find the plant’s high bud count an asset to continual flowering for up to three months. Unfortunately, this daylily is not fragrant.

Understanding Hemerocallis terminology and flower parts is useful for gardeners when seeking out more types for a flower garden. H. fulva is also well known as the common ditch lily, a tough garden plant worth placing in locations difficult to grow other flowers. Unusual and spider daylilies have twisted long thin petals, some with odd color combinations.

Hemerocallis usually opens in daylight, each bloom lasting one day. Nocturnal daylilies open in the early evening making them perfect for gardens planted near a seating area. People sitting in a patio garden will enjoy the fragrant scent from night blooming daylilies.