Stella d'Oro Daylily - Hemerocallis
The famous Stella d'Oro Daylily are curious to know why they stands out as unique. It is a robust, reasonably compact cultivar and popular for its bright yellow color and reasonably uniform bloom. It may be sold at nurseries and buried in the ground as a quick landscape solution. The bulbs are also readily available.
This variety is a perennial and produces a bright yellow bloom in late spring. It continues to bloom until the end of summer, making it an attractive alternative to daffodils that favor summer over April bloom. However, there is some maintenance involved. The old blooms have to be trimmed before they go to seed to encourage more frequent flowers.
What zone does Stella d'Oro Daylily grow best?
The Stella d'Oro is dormant in winter and will grow in hardiness zones from 3-9. This means it does not like tropical soil but tolerates everything except the hardest freezes in winter. This plant will tolerate a variety of soil qualities. Sandy soil, clay soil, and rocky soil will all be tolerated by this variety. It will also tolerate dry weather and will survive heavy rains.
This lily does not require much maintenance in winter. The tops can be cleared for aesthetic reasons or else allowed to lie fallow and fertilize the plant. For optimal health, this and other lily plants need to have their bulbs replanted every four years. Nutrition is important in bloom, but overcrowding easily stunts the plant's growth.
What is the best time to plant Stella d'Oro Daylily?
It is best to plant the Stella d'Oro in spring. This variety is compact enough to fit many pots. It is also tolerant of soil drying out, which is another reason why it will survive well in a medium-sized pot. The plant does not increase in size except by dividing its bulbs, so maintenance is minimal. It also likes to receive sunlight for most of the day, only putting up with partial shade.
It is not difficult to get hold of this cultivar, precisely because it can be purchased as dormant bulbs. They do have to be planted the year that they are purchased, preferably as soon as the weather is past freezing if planting in a pot. If the bulbs are planted in the soil, they are considered naturalizing, which means that they do not usually conflict harshly with the local ecosystem.
The foliage of the Stella de Oro resembles thick grass, but is clearly a herbaceous plant that is not related to grass. The flowers form trumpets with a circular yellow-orange frill. It is not uncommon to see this plant in front of business buildings or in public landscapes. Some people think this flower is overdone, but really it is quite attractive with proper landscape design.
Slugs occasionally like to eat lilies. In fact, the foliage that dies in winter is sometimes removed just to control slugs who might lay their eggs underneath the mat. As a general rule, too much organic matter in the soil will attract bugs, while modest amounts are needed to grow the plant itself.
When growing Stella d'Oro in pots, ensure that the volume is at least three gallons for the root system and the moisture requirement. Experts encourage the use of terracotta pots because of their breathable quality. Whenever the weather is hot and the soil in the pot is dry, this plant needs thorough watering to preserve vigorous growth and to keep drought shock at bay.
