Why are my daylilies not blooming?

They likely need more direct sunlight, as they prefer at least six hours a day.

How do I control their spread?

You must dig up the entire root clump and remove all rhizome fragments.

Plant guide

Orange Daylily.

Hemerocallis fulva

Pronounced hem-er-oh-KAL-iss FUL-vah

Also known as Orange Day-Lily, Orange day-lily, Tawny daylily, Corn lily, Tiger daylily, Fulvous daylily, Ditch lily, Fourth of July lily, Orange daylily, ditch lily, fulvous day-lily

The orange daylily is a hardy perennial known for its trumpet shaped blooms that open for just one day. It is a tough plant that thrives in many garden conditions and spreads easily through underground rhizomes. You will love how these cheerful flowers brighten up your summer landscape.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Perennial
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 7 to 14 days
Mature size: 3 to 4 feet
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 3 to 9
Bloom time: Mid to late summer

Care

Plant these in a spot that gets plenty of sun to ensure the best flower production. Keep an eye out for aphids or thrips during the growing season, and clear away dead foliage in the late fall. They are quite drought tolerant once they get established in your garden.

Watering: Water deeply once a week during dry spells to keep the plant happy.
Feeding: Apply a balanced fertilizer once in the early spring as new growth appears.
Pruning: Trim back the foliage to the ground after the first hard frost in autumn.
Repotting: Divide the root clumps every few years to keep the plants vigorous and prevent overcrowding.
Soil: Well draining loamy soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -35 to 35°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%
Drought tolerance: High
Lifespan: Perennial, can live for many decades.
Deer and rabbits: Low

Signs it needs repotting

roots growing out of the drainage holes
water sitting on the surface of the soil
the plant has stopped blooming

Safety

People: The plant is generally considered non-toxic to humans, though ingestion may cause mild stomach upset.
Pets: This plant is highly toxic to cats. Eating even a small amount of any part, including the leaves, petals or pollen, can cause acute kidney failure, so seek veterinary care right away if a cat chews on it. It is considered non-toxic to dogs.
Children: The plant is not considered a significant risk to children, but it is always best to discourage eating garden plants.
Contact allergens: The sap can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: The pollen is generally not considered a significant airborne allergen.
Edibility: While the flower buds are sometimes eaten, they can cause digestive upset in some people and should be consumed with caution.

How to identify it

Large orange trumpet shaped flowers
Long arching strap like leaves
Flowers bloom for one day
Grows from thick fleshy roots

Height: 0.6 to 1.2m
Spread: 0.45 to 0.9m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: orange, 8 to 12cm

Problems to watch for

AphidsCommon
RustCommon
Leaf ScorchUncommon
Root RotUncommon
Slugs and SnailsUncommon
ThripsUncommon

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: division
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: Cut the foliage back to the ground after the first hard frost. No special protection is needed as they are very cold hardy.
In containers: They grow well in large pots, but they will need division every few years to prevent them from becoming rootbound.

Division

Dig up the entire clump in early spring or autumn.
Use a sharp spade or garden fork to separate the root mass into smaller sections.
Ensure each section has a healthy portion of roots and foliage.
Replant the divisions at the same depth they were previously growing.
Water the newly planted divisions thoroughly.

Plant them with taller perennials to hide the foliage as it begins to yellow in late summer.

Grows well with

Coneflower · They share similar sun and water requirements.
Russian Sage · The blue flowers provide a nice color contrast to the orange daylilies.

Similar species

Tiger Lily · It has a similar orange color but blooms later and grows from a true bulb.

Science

Family: Asphodelaceae
Genus: Hemerocallis
Order: Asparagales
Class: Liliopsida
Native range: Asia
Conservation: It is considered an invasive species in many parts of North America due to its aggressive spread.

It thrives in disturbed areas and along roadsides, where it outcompetes native vegetation through rapid vegetative growth.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
Uses: ornamental border, erosion control, groundcover

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 3/9
Soil reaction: 5/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Why are my daylilies not blooming?: They likely need more direct sunlight, as they prefer at least six hours a day.
How do I control their spread?: You must dig up the entire root clump and remove all rhizome fragments.

Where the name comes from

Hemerocallis comes from the Greek words hemera meaning day and kallos meaning beauty. The species name fulva refers to the tawny orange color of the petals.

Good to know

The name comes from the Greek words for day and beauty.
It is incredibly hardy and can survive in poor soil conditions.
It spreads via underground rhizomes, making it difficult to remove once established.

Also in

Drought-tolerant plants

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.