Native to the Far East, daylilies (Hemerocallis) are a genus of bulbous perennial plants belonging to the family Asphodelaceae. Although their name includes “lily,” they do not belong to the order of true lilies (Liliales).
Undamaged by the cold of winter, the daylily’s slim sedge-like bright green leaves start budding as early as the beginning of spring. It is quite adaptive and drought-tolerant but prefers sunlit or semi-shade spots. With petals ranging between yellow, orange, pink and brownish red, its star-shaped flowers only bloom for a single day each – but, by constantly developing new buds, the daylily keeps charming us all summer long.
Not only are daylilies splendid ornamental plants, but they all have edible flowers, consumed customarily in China for centuries. With a mildly sweet and vegetable-like taste, they are primarily used for seasoning ginger and vegetable chicken strips as well as some desserts.
You can check out our flamboyant orange daylilies in various spots throughout the Debrecen Zoo – for instance, by the Giraffe and Lion Enclosures.
Debrecen Zoo and Amusement Park
