Daylily
Hemerocallis fulva
Orange ditch lily. Flower buds and petals are a traditional vegetable in some cuisines; tubers too. True lilies (Lilium) are different and some are toxic — names matter. Eat Hemerocallis you know, not a mystery ‘lily.’
GROW → HARVEST → EAT → DRY → POWDER → CAPSULE → GUMMY — forms are not equivalent. Food first.
Identity
What it is
Orange ditch lily. Flower buds and petals are a traditional vegetable in some cuisines; tubers too. True lilies (Lilium) are different and some are toxic — names matter. Eat Hemerocallis you know, not a mystery ‘lily.’
Edible portions
- flower buds
- open flowers
- tubers of this genus as used traditionally
Absence of a portion from this list means it is not treated as food here — not that every other part is toxic.
Growing
- Climate. 3–9
- Light. Full sun
- Soil. Average
- Planting. The common tawny daylily spreads. Named hybrids vary in how much people eat them.
- Harvest. Unopened buds like a green bean; flowers the day they open.
Preparation and culinary uses
- Buds stir-fried or in soup; flowers stuffed
Safety
- Hemerocallis ≠ Lilium. Cats + true lilies are a known veterinary emergency. For food, stick to known daylilies, modest amounts (some people get GI upset).
Next steps
Sources
- USDA PLANTS Database — taxonomy and range (verify current entries)
- No USDA FoodData Central nutrient profile is attached here. That is not a claim that the plant contains no nutrients.
- State cooperative extension growing guides — verify for your region
Honest incompleteness is preferred to fabricated completeness. If a section is missing, no record for it is attached here — not a claim that the plant lacks that characteristic, and not that it was omitted as a secret.
Internal quality class A. Strong page: distinctive plant facts plus practical growing or kitchen use.