Practical
Plants

Hemerocallis citrina

a perennial member of the Hemerocallis genus in the family Hemerocallidaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.75 m
Spread
0.75 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Large quantities of the leaves are said to be hallucinogenic. Blanching the leaves removes this hallucinatory component[7]. (This report does not make clear what it means by blanching, it could be excluding light from the growing shoots or immersing in boiling water[K].)

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves and young shoots - cooked[7]. They must be consumed when very young or else they become fibrous[K]. Flowers and flower buds - raw or cooked[2][4]. The flowers can be dried and used as a thickener in soups etc. The slender trumpets vary from 12 - 17cm long[7]. There can be from 7 to 65 buds on a flowering stem[7]. The flower buds contain about 43mg vitamin C per 100g, 983 IU vitamin A and 3.1% protein[7]. Root - raw or cooked[7]. The flavour is somewhat radish-like but not so sharp[7].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The juice of the roots is an effective antidote in cases of arsenic poisoning[7]. A tea made from the boiled roots is used as a diuretic[7].

Product or use
Antidote
Product or use
Diuretic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The tough dried foliage is plaited into cord and used for making footwear[7].

Product or use
Weaving

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China.
Habitat
Forest margins, grassy fields and slopes along valleys from near sea level to 2000 metres[10].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow in the middle of spring in a greenhouse. Germination is usually fairly rapid and good. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow the plants on for their first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring[K]. Division in spring or after flowering in late summer or autumn[6]. Division is very quick and easy, succeeding at almost any time of the year[K]. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most soils[1], including dry ones, preferring a rich moist soil[6]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeding in sun or shade, it produces more flowers in a sunny position though these flowers can be shorter-lived in very sunny positions[7]. Succeeds in short grass if the soil is moist[1]. Prefers a pH between 6 and 7[6]. Plants are hardy to at least -20°c[5]. Widely cultivated in China for its edible flowers, especially in Hunan province[10]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[6]. This species is said to be self-incompatible[3][7]. Many of the plants in cultivation under this name are H. thunbergii[7]. The sub-species H. citrina vespertina (Hara.)Erhardt. is a very free-flowering form, producing up to 75 buds per scape and capable of flowering from July to October if the weather is suitable[7]. The plant forms a loose spreading clump[K]. The roots form pseudobulbs[7]. Plants take a year or two to become established after being moved[1]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[8]. The plants are very susceptible to slug and snail damage, the young growth in spring is especially at risk[6]. Individual flowers are very short-lived, they open in the late afternoon and die in the morning[6]. However, plants produce a succession of flowers for several weeks of the summer. The number of flowers on a scape varies from 7 to 65[7]. The flowers have a lemony scent[7]. Another report says that they have a pronounced honeysuckle scent[9].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 7. 1985 - 1986. Royal Horticultural Society 1985-00-00

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  4. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  5. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

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  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  7. Erhardt. W. Hemerocallis. Day Lilies. Batsford. 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7134-7065-8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11↩12↩13↩14↩15↩16↩17

  8. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

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  9. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

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  10. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩1↩2

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