Practical
Plants

Hemerocallis littorea

Coastal Day Lily

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

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.9 m
Spread
0.6 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

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[3][4]. Blanching the leaves removes this hallucinatory component[8]. (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. They must be consumed when very young or else they become fibrous[K]. Flowers and flower buds - raw or cooked[2][5]. They can be dried and used as a thickener in soups etc. The flower buds contain about 43mg vitamin C per 100g, 983 IU vitamin A and 3.1% protein[8]. Root - raw or cooked. A pleasant nutty flavour. This sub-species has a fibrous root system[8].

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[8]. A tea made from the boiled roots is used as a diuretic[8].

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[8].

Product or use
Weaving

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Japan.
Habitat
Grassy places near the sea[10][6].
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[7]. 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 and a sunny position[7] but tolerating partial shade[11]. Plants flower less freely in a shady position though the flowers can last longer in such a position[8]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in short grass if the soil is moist[1]. Prefers a pH between 6 and 7[7]. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[6]. The plant has a fibrous root system[8]. Individual flowers are short-lived, opening in the morning and withering in the evening. The plant, however, produces a succession of flowers over a period of about 6 weeks[8]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[7]. Unlike the type species, this form does produce viable seed[6]. Plants take a year or two to become established after being moved[7]. They can then spread quite freely[K]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[9]. The plants are very susceptible to slug and snail damage, the young growth in spring is especially at risk[7].

References

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

    ↩1↩2

  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. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 9. 1986 - 1987. Royal Horticultural Society 1986-00-00

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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. 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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9

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

    ↩

  10. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

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  11. RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987-00-00

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