Edible Organic Daylily - Hemerocallis Buttercup

The Edible Daylily 'Buttercup' is a perennial plant that produces flowers similar to lilies, in a beautiful bright yellow colour. It is sometimes called the 'day lily' because its ephemeral flowers only open for a day. Nevertheless, they constantly succeed each other, offering continuous flowering during the summer. The Buttercup variety offers tasty flowers that can be used to enhance savoury or sweet dishes. It is very hardy and easy to grow, ideal for permaculture as it stays in place for many years. Plant it in autumn (or possibly in spring) and harvest the flowers during summer.

The name Hemerocallis comes from Greek and means 'beauty of a day'. Each flower will bloom in the morning and wilt in the evening, making room for a new flower on the same stem the next day. The flowers are a beautiful bright yellow and trumpet-shaped. Its leaves are evergreen and slightly arched. The plant reaches a height of 60 cm (24in) at maturity. It naturally grows in wet areas.

The flowers are widely used in Asian cuisine and can be consumed raw or cooked, in savoury or sweet dishes. You can stuff them with meat or cheese, prepare them as fritters, or use them to flavour soups and desserts. Their taste is slightly sweet and peppery.

This plant with edible and decorative flowers will fit both in the vegetable garden and in the ornamental garden. It is very hardy and low-maintenance and stays in place for many years. It can also be grown in pots.

Harvesting: The flowers should be picked in summer, from June to September. The harvest should be regular as each flower lasts only one day! Note: flowering will become more abundant from the 2nd year.

Preservation: The flowers should be consumed quickly after harvest. You can put them in a vase and the flowers will last for a week as long as you change the water every day.

Gardener's tip: We recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, if possible mixed with dead leaves. This protection helps the soil stay moist and reduces weed growth.