Hemerocallis 'Running Late' (Daylily)

About

Hemerocallis 'Running Late' is a clump-forming perennial daylily grown for its short-lived, showy flowers that typically last about a day. It arises from rhizomes and produces arching, strap-like basal leaves. Flowering occurs June to August, offering a succession of single-day blooms across the summer. Plants may spread; some Hemerocallis produce stolons as well as clumps.

About the genus

A daylily, day lily or ditch-lily is a flowering plant in the genus Hemerocallis, a member of the family Asphodelaceae, subfamily Hemerocallidoideae, native to Asia. Despite the common name, it is not taxonomically classified in the lily genus. Gardening enthusiasts and horticulturists have long bred Hemerocallis species for their attractive flowers; a select few species of the genus have edible petals, while some are extremely toxic.

Wikipedia contributors, "Daylily", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Daylily

In the garden

Hemerocallis 'Running Late' belongs to the genus Hemerocallis in the Asphodelaceae and traces its wider ancestry to species native to Asia. Gardeners worldwide have bred thousands of cultivars in this group and the American Daylily Society maintains a large register of named varieties. The single-day life of each flower is a defining trait: individual blooms open and fade quickly, while the plant continues to produce fresh flowers over weeks. The plant grows from rhizomes and forms basal, strap-like leaves. Because some daylilies spread by stolons and all form clumps, occasional division will keep a planting vigorous and help control spread; divide where clumps have thickened. Take care with edibility: while a few Hemerocallis petals are used in cooking, other species can be toxic, so confirm identification before tasting. Expect Hemerocallis 'Running Late' to deliver a series of brief but repeatable flowers through June to August rather than long-lasting individual blooms, making it useful where moving splashes of colour are wanted rather than a single, prolonged flower display.

More in the Hemerocallis genus

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