Daylily | |
---|---|
Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Asphodelaceae |
Subfamily: | Hemerocallidoideae |
Genus: | Hemerocallis L. |
Type species | |
Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus | |
Synonyms[1] | |
|
A daylily, day lily or ditch-lily is a flowering plant in the genus Hemerocallis /ˌhɛmɪroʊˈkælɪs/,[2] a member of the family Asphodelaceae, subfamily Hemerocallidoideae, native to Asia. Despite the common name, it is not taxonomically classified in the lily genus. Gardening enthusiasts and horticulturists have long bred Hemerocallis species for their attractive flowers; a select few species of the genus have edible petals, while some are extremely toxic. Thousands of cultivars have been registered by the American Daylily Society, the only internationally recognized registrant according to the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants.[3] The plants are perennial, bulbous plants, whose common name alludes to its flowers, which typically last about a day.