Yellow-red daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) belongs to the grass family. And not, contrary to what the name suggests, to the lily family. The perennial plant is undemanding and extraordinarily versatile. There are over 60,000 varieties and hybrids worldwide in a wide range of colors.
Occurrence and cultivation of the yellow-red daylily.
The name Hemerocallis comes from the Greek and means something like “beauty of the day”. This name is not by chance, because the flowers of the daylily live only one, maximum one and a half days. However, the plant produces new flowers every day, so the loss of each one is not noticeable. The addition fulva refers to the yellow-red color. The original range of the yellow-red daylily is in Asia, where it was a standard plant in Chinese and Japanese gardens. After coming to England in the 17th century, the perennial flower, thanks to its easy care and adaptability, spread rapidly throughout the rest of Europe, where some of it can still be found growing wild today. The plant has also been native to North America since the end of the 19th century. In Germany, the flowering plant is occasionally referred to as the railroad guard daylily, indicating the possible growing location of the perennial. Since the daylily is very robust, it grows not only on almost any soil, but also on roadsides, in open forests and meadows. It is also found in mountains up to 1000 meters high, in the countries of origin China and Japan even up to 2500 meters high. It can even be found on garbage dumps and wasteland. It only resents waterlogging. Otherwise, it is happy with a well-drained soil and a sunny location. The sunnier the spot, the more profuse the blooms. Hemerocallis fulva also grows in partial shade. However, the place should not be too shady, otherwise the flower growth will decrease. Otherwise, the perennial requires little care. Diseases and pests are rare. The herbaceous plant grows about 90 centimeters high. Propagation of the yellow daylily is either by rhizomes or by insect pollination. From time to time, the stems develop so-called sinkers, from which clones are formed. When they have fallen off, independent plants form from them. The flowering period extends from May to October.
Effect and application
Yellow-red daylily is especially known and popular as an ornamental plant. Less known is the useful value of this perennial plant. In its native Asia, it is not only a medicinal plant and food, but also served to make ropes and shoes. As a food, the daylily is still in demand today, especially since the entire plant, apart from the stem, can be used. The thicker parts of the roots taste nutty and can be prepared like potatoes. Young leaf shoots serve as vegetables and can be eaten raw and cooked. The mature leaves are suitable for salads. And even the large flowers serve as a spice when dried or fresh. Green flower buds are delicious cooked and steamed in oil or sprinkled raw on cream cheese. The seed can be used ground or crushed as a soup seasoning. In Asian cuisine, powder is made from the Yellow Red Daylilies and used to color pork, duck, or other foods. However, it should be used sparingly or the food will quickly taste bitter.
Health significance, treatment and prevention.
In the Asian region, the yellow-red daylily is not only popular in the kitchen, but also a valued natural remedy and a natural source of vitamins. The leaves of the perennial plant contain vitamins A and C, the trace element iron, very powerful antioxidants such as phlomuroside, roseoside and lariciresinol, as well as quercetin, isorhamnetin glycosides, pinnatannin derivatives and choline. The aerial part of the perennial contains the saponins hemeroside A and B. The antraquinone derivatives in the root have shown anti-cancer activity in laboratory tests. In contrast to Asia, the yellow-red daylily plays no role in medicine in Europe. In naturopathy, it can only be found in Bach flower therapy. There it belongs to the special plant essences, which are collected at certain locations throughout Europe. The Bach flower essence from the yellow daylily is used for mental problems. Besides, the cosmetic industry makes use of the plant extracts and uses them for some skin care products.In Asia, on the other hand, the yellow-red daylily is still of great importance today and is used for various diseases. Traditional Chinese medicine appreciates the health benefits of Hemerocallis. The flowers of the daylily are prescribed for insomnia. Tuberculosis and threadworm infections are treated with the rhizome of the perennial plant. For constipation and pneumonia in Korea, the roots of the yellow daylily are administered. The root juice is also said to have a healing effect: It is given as an immediate remedy for arsenic poisoning. Cell extracts from the root are said to help with cancer by preventing the proliferation of cancer cells. A tea decoction from the roots is said to have a diuretic effect. Caution should be exercised when consuming the roots of the daylily, as an overdose can lead to symptoms of poisoning and have a laxative effect. The yellow-red daylily is very poisonous for cats, which are threatened with acute kidney failure even with a small intake. Dogs are also at risk. In them, however, only vomiting and gastrointestinal complaints occur after eating the lilies.
