Hemerocallis Rapsberry Candy - Daylily

The Daylily or Hemerocallis 'Raspberry Candy' seduces with the fragrance of its large flowers that are not lacking in charm or distinction: trumpet-shaped and undulating, its yellow-cream corollas are skillfully painted with a violet-red raspberry eye, forming a star-like shape around its green throat. This variety blooms early in the season and then flowers again in late summer on an imposing clump of bright green linear foliage, which is quite elegant. Easy to grow in ordinary soil, this hemerocallis will delight gardeners who appreciate beautiful, robust, and low-maintenance plants.

The genus Hemerocallis belongs to the family of Hemerocallidaceae, close to the Liliaceae family. They are perennial and hardy plants with deciduous or semi-evergreen foliage. 'Raspberry Candy' is a tetraploid cultivar obtained in 1992. The plant will reach about 90 cm (35in) in height, with a minimum spread of 60 cm (24in). In hemerocallis, the flowers are generally borne in ramified clusters on long leafless stems that rise above the foliage. The 'Raspberry Candy' flowers measure approximately 12 cm (5in) in diameter. Individually, they last only for a day but continuously bloom between June and July and again in late summer. The floral stems are sturdy, and this variety's abundant, thick, linear foliage is deciduous. Hemerocallis are plants with short rhizomes and fleshy roots that tolerate dry soils but thrive in fertile, moist soil.

These easy-to-grow perennial plants are undoubtedly hardy and thrive in sun and shade. Some varieties spread more than others, and dividing the clumps in autumn allows enthusiasts to exchange their findings. 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: it has a seductive exuberance that is very impressive in a garden. Plant 'Raspberry Candy' in generous clumps in the middle of your flower beds. To accompany it, other perennials will do (Phlox paniculata, delphiniums, foxgloves), but also consider summer-flowering bulbs (lilies, Crinum, Crocosmia) to add variety and bring some lightness to the whole with the graceful habit of a grass. The flowers are edible: they brighten up salads and decorate desserts.

Many varieties have been developed in Japan, where they are very popular. The flowers of these plants come in a wide range of colours and shapes. More than 60,000 cultivars, mostly resulting from hybridisations by gardening enthusiasts, are catalogued, appreciated, and studied by international Hemerocallis societies.