Hemerocallis Happy Returns Daylily #1

 Are you tired of perennials that put on a spectacular show for exactly one week in May, only to leave you with a patch of green leaves for the rest of the summer?

Meet the ‘Happy Returns’ Daylily. This daylily is a workaholic. It is a descendant of the famous ‘Stella de Oro,’ but we actually like this one better. Why? Because the yellow is cleaner -- a bright, cheerful lemon yellow rather than a golden-orange -- and it blooms all season. True to its name, it doesn’t just bloom once; it provides “happy returns” of flowers from late spring all the way until the first frost hits the Piedmont.

Daylilies are basically the unofficial mascots of North Carolina roadsides for a reason: they are survivors. You can plant ‘Happy Returns’ in that stubborn red clay spot where nothing else seems to grow, and it will likely thrive. It handles our baking humid afternoons in July without wilting, and it’s tough enough to survive those wet winters we get in Forsyth, Surry, and Stokes counties.

Why We Recommend It:

• The "Energizer Bunny" of Blooms: This is a rebloomer. After the first big flush of flowers in late May or June, it takes a short breath and starts popping out new flowers for the rest of the season. If you snap off the old flower stems (we call it deadheading), it blooms even faster.

• Erosion Control: Got a bank or a slope in your yard that’s washing away? The root system of a daylily is thick and fibrous. It acts like a net, holding the soil in place. It’s perfect for those tricky sloped driveways common in our area.

• Plays Well With Others: Because it grows in a compact clump (about 18 inches high), it’s easy to tuck in front of bigger shrubs. The lemon-yellow color pops beautifully against the dark green of boxwoods or hollies.

Best Used For:

• Mass plantings for a big splash of color.

• Edging along sidewalks or garden beds.

• Slopes and banks (to stop erosion).

• Container gardening.

The Specs:

• Growth Rate: Fast (clumps expand quickly).

• Mature Size: Compact; 12–18 inches tall and wide.

• Sun/Soil: Full Sun to Part Shade (more sun = more flowers). Tolerates almost any soil, especially clay.

Ready to Plant? Check out the full technical details on the NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, or swing by and ask us where the "lemon yellow" daylilies are.