Plant & Daylily Sale June 21

We have over 200 named cultivars of Daylilies for sale. Plus many other unusual plants  Saturday from 9-3 pm. 

The Modern Daylily

Not Your Grandmother’s Daylily

By Kathy Woolsey

In the days of my youth there were orange daylilies growing alongside of the small creek I played in. They could also be found in ditches and along fence lines just about anywhere. In some gardens, yellow and double daylilies could be found, but little variety of colors. In Girl Scouts, I became interested in wild edible plants. Daylilies, although not native, were easy to identify, plentiful and very edible.  Daylily buds were a great little trail nibble too. Visit an Asian grocery store today and you will find dried daylily buds often called “golden needles” or “Gum Jum”. Personally I prefer fresh buds sautéed in a little butter; they taste like green beans.

            But a lot has happened since those days of orange daylilies in the summer sun. Plant hybridizers have been busy--very busy. Today’s daylilies are far from the common orange flowers of my youth.  There are now over 70,000 daylily cultivars; colors range from nearly white to deep purple and from pink to deep red. To add to the color explosion of daylilies, new cultivars are rarely solid colors. There are bi-colors, blends, color bands and contrasting edges. The form of the daylily flower has also changed.  Now there are re-curved petals, flat flaring petals, ruffles and curls. Then there is something called chicken fat (not a scientific term) which is thick pale ruffling on the edge of a petal. You can find miniatures for small gardens and giant spider-form flowers with long strap-like petals that are 9 inches across to add drama to the garden.  

Now for some technical stuff and a little Greek. Daylilies are not true lilies like Easter lilies. They are members of the Hemerocallis genus. The word Hemerocallis is made from the 2 Greek words: hēmera meaning “day" and kalos meaning "beautiful". The only drawback to daylilies is the fact they only open for one day, but they make up for this flaw by having many flowers. One stem, called a scape, can have over 30 blooms and there are many scapes per plant.

The biggest development in daylily hybridizing in the last decade is extended bloom and re-bloomers. New daylilies listed as extended bloomers open over a longer period of time--usually 16 or more hours. Some will open up in the evening and stay open all the next day. Re-bloomers bloom early to mid-summer and again in the fall. This all adds up to more color in the garden.

The American Hemerocallis Society website is full of information including a data base with some 70,000 cultivars with more added every day. The Society also lists display gardens that are open to the public.  There are 26 display gardens in the Carolinas, and they will be coming into bloom soon. If you really wish to learn more about daylilies you will be glad to know we have a Lowcountry Daylily Club. This is a great bunch of folks who are eager to share their knowledge and maybe a few plants as well. 

May 17 Daylily & Plant Sale

See photos of the Daylilies we have for sale
and a detour map to the Daylily photos and detour map

Cypress Gardens Big Spring Plant Sale is Saturday May 17.  The sale is from 9-3pm in the parking lot. Bring cash or checks.  All Berkeley County Residents can get in FREE to Cypress Gardens on the 3rd Saturday from 9-12. PLEASE tell your friends and bring the family. Please remind everyone about the detour through the Navy Weapon station.

  Many other plants not listed but here are a few.

Fantastic selection of Names cultivars of Daylilies. Pinks, purples, reds  and more.

Angels Trumpet Yellow White & Pink

Purple Trumpet Datura

Purple Night Shade Solanum quitoense

Tropical Hibiscus

Pumpkin on a Stick

Purple Salvia (Butterfly Plant)

Marigolds(Butterfly Plant)

Cleome - Spider Plant (Butterfly Plant)

Pentas(Butterfly Plant)

Curly Spider Plant

Confederate Rose

Porter Weed (Butterfly Plant)

Flame Violets

Mexican Flame Vine (Butterfly Plant)

Native Red Honeysuckle (Hummingbird )

Azaleas

Stromanthe sanguinea "Triostar"

Calathea lancifolia “Rattle Snake Plant”

Ruby - Joseph Coat

ABUTILON: Flowering Maple

Vegetable

Tomatoes

 Banana Peppers

Herbs

Dill (Butterfly Plant)

Fennel (Butterfly Plant)

Sage Herb

Basil

Thai Basil (Butterfly Plant)

Cuban Oregano

Curry Plant

Black Prince Echeveria

Mules Ear Succulent

Ghost plant – Succulent

Thornless Pear Cactus

Sansevieria trifasciata "

Mules Ear Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri 

Ornamental Sweet potato

Hardy Gloxinia

Coleus

White Native hibiscus

Yellow  Native hibiscus

Princes flower tibuchina

Loquat

Varigated Butterfly bush

Rhoeo

Chicken gizzard plant.