Hemerocallis Oriental Ruby - Daylily

The Daylily or Hemerocallis 'Oriental Ruby' offers medium-sized flowers adorned with a beautiful velvety carmine red colour infused with purple, contrasting well with a yellow and green throat. It blooms quite late in the season. Its elegant linear foliage is of a fairly light green. This variety, which is very floriferous, has been awarded several times for its ornamental qualities and generosity. Hemerocallis are perennial plants that are easy to grow in deep soil that is not too dry in summer.

The genus Hemerocallis belongs to the Liliaceae family. They are  hardy perennial plants with deciduous, sometimes semi-evergreen foliage. The variety 'Oriental Ruby', introduced in 1968, forms a fairly dense clump that will reach a height of 80 cm (32in), with a relative spread of 60 cm (24in). Hemerocallis tend to spread a little when they like the soil. The flowers measure about 15 cm (6in) in diameter, and the petals in this variety are lanceolate, thick, and velvety. Each flower lasts only a day, but the plant repeat flowers over a beautiful period between July and August, with a plant able to produce 300 to 400 flowers in a season from the age of 3 years. In this variety, the foliage is deciduous. Hemerocallis are plants with short rhizomes and fleshy roots that tolerate dry soils but are more opulent and floriferous in moist soil.

Very easy to grow, these plants thrive in both shade and sun. Some can be invasive, so dividing the clumps every four or five years, preferably in autumn, after flowering, is best. Hemerocallis is often called "the perfect perennial plant" because of its vibrant colours and its ability to tolerate any type of environment, but also due to its lack of modesty, as it is beautifully exuberant and blends well with other perennials. Plant them in generous clumps in the background of your borders. All summer bulb flowers can be planted together with Hemerocallis. 'Oriental Ruby' will fit perfectly in a composition of a red garden, along with the Achillea 'Pomegranate' or an oriental lily like the Lilium Red Twin, unless you want to pair it with a giant like the Lilium 'Miss Freya'. Large pots with a minimum depth of 30 cm (12in) should be provided on a balcony or patio, and dwarf varieties should be preferred. The flowers are edible: they brighten up salads and decorate desserts.