Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro'

About this cultivar:

Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro' is perhaps the most popular daylily cultivar in the world! It is a smallish plant (around a foot high and spread) and hence suitable for modest size gardens. It features profuse yellow flowers with ruffled edges and deeper yellow throats. Unlike some daylilies flowering takes place over a long period. It is an historic diploid hybrid daylily first introduced by the late Walter Jablonski in 1975.

Walter Jablonski (1896-1986) of Merrillville, USA, was a retired turkey farmer, and how he named this plant has an interesting story. Bredder Roy Klehm relates the story: “Walter had been working in his garden, which was about 50 yards below his house. He was hot and went to the house to get a drink. He was sitting at the table, looking out the window at his new daylilies, when he absent-mindedly picked up a cookie from a box that was on the table. The name of the cookies suddenly caught his eye – Stella D’Oro.”

‘Stella de Oro’, which translates to “Star of Gold,” won Stout Silver Medal in 1987, which is the highest award a daylily can win.

• Position: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Almost any soil, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Flowers: June, July, August
• Other features: Grows well in Ballyrobert,  Stout Silver Medal
• Hardiness: H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20°C), Fully hardy - grows well in Ballyrobert!
• Habit: Clump forming
• Foliage: Deciduous
• Height: 15 - 30 cm (0.5 - 1 ft)
• Spread: 15 - 30 cm (0.5 - 1 ft)
• Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Colour: Green, yellow
• Goes well with: Grasses

About this genus:

Hemerocallis (hem-er-o-kal-is) from the Greek hemeros (day) and kallos (beauty) is commonly known as the Daylily. Hemerocallis is now placed in family Xanthorrhoeaceae but formerly was part of Liliaceae (which includes true lilies) so technically it is not really a lily at all! Who cares? We still love them!

Hemerocallis are perennial plants, whose name alludes to the flowers which typically last no more than 24 hours. The flowers of most species open in early morning and wither during the following night, possibly replaced by another one on the same flower stalk the next day. Believe it or not, some species are night-blooming. This genus is popular worldwide because of the showy flowers and hardiness of many kinds. There are over 60,000 registered cultivars- isn't that amazing!?!?  

Hemerocallis is native to Eurasia, including China, Korea, and Japan. The flowers of some species are edible and are used in Chinese cuisine, but I must say I have never ate them (even though I lived in China for a year). Although perhaps I will soon because the cultivars we have in our garden at Ballyrobert flower like mad. Basically, they grow almost anywhere that isn't full shade. From our photos you may see we even grow a few under trees.

Hemerocallis plants pair well with just about everything, but try them with grasses (Miscanthus?) for wonderful colour and texture combinations.