By Julie Boudreau
The ‘Stella de Oro’ daylily, often named ‘Stella d’Oro’, is probably one of the most popular perennial plants of all and for good reasons. It’s THE perfect plant for a low maintenance garden. It’s a perennial that returns faithfully year after year. It is perfectly hardy in USDA zone 3 to 10 (zone 3). The flowering period is non-stop from June to October. Its foliage is dense and full. The plant fills flower beds well. Pests and diseases are not interested in it. Wow!
What? That’s Not the Case for You?
Hmmm. Odd, very odd. Here are some possible solutions that could explain why your ‘Stella de Oro’ daylily is not behaving like a champion.
Lots of Sun
Daylily experts are unanimous on this point. Daylilies are full sun plants. They require a minimum of six hours of direct sun to flower fully. Yes, it is possible to grow them in partial shade, but flowering may be reduced or completely absent. Less sun also means less dense, thinner and more fragile foliage.
Sometimes you can gain an hour or two of sunlight simply by trimming a branch or two from a nearby tree or large shrub. If the sun is blocked by the residence, you can demolish the house or simply move the daylily. The second option is often chosen!
A Very Rich Soil
Daylilies are not picky about soil quality, but there are limits! Rocky soils, ones that are too wet or too acidic, can compromise growth. The perfect soil for the ‘Stella de Oro’ daylily is loose and well enriched with compost. It drains well, but it has the capacity to retain water a bit. Daylilies prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 6.2 to 7). Where blueberries and rhododendrons thrive, daylilies grow poorly.
Knowing that daylilies like high pH, fertilizing with a granular fertilizer based on chicken manure is ideal.
Far From Trees
Competition with the roots of large trees can also become a problematic issue for daylilies. Although they are capable of growing at the base of large trees, this is not the ideal location. Large trees absorb everything that passes: water and minerals. There is less left for the daylilies who only get the crumbs.
Under these harsh conditions, daylilies produce fewer leaves and fewer flowers. Also, the plant falls into water stress more quickly due to lack of water.
Escape Extreme Drought
Whether caused by tall trees or by long heatwaves, drought is an important issue. It is also a problem that risks manifesting itself more and more often, due to climate change. For almost all plants, water is essential to life. Too frequent periods of drought harm the growth of daylilies. Here too, the foliage will be less generous and of a duller color. In extreme cases, wilting of the plant can also be observed.
Of course, the most effective way to thwart a drought is watering. But it is pertinent to look for ways to counteract drought without using treated water. A thick layer of mulch, for example, is a very interesting solution to help the soil maintain its freshness and reduce watering needs. In addition, some mulches add organic matter to the soil as they decompose. And, this organic matter promotes water retention in the soil. A doubly winning solution.
As you can see, there are elements that can be corrected to improve the appearance of the daylily. But, there are also other conditions that cannot. If you want to move your daylily, spring and fall will be the best seasons to transplant. Thus, a ‘Stella de Oro’ daylily will perform best if it is planted in rich, loose soil, away from trees and receiving more than six hours of sunlight per day.
A Bit of History
Daylily ‘Stella de Oro’ was introduced in 1975 by Walter Jablonski, a prolific hybridizer based in the state of Indiana, USA. This plant was considered exceptional, because ‘Stella de Oro’ is one of the first reblooming daylily varieties. Its growing popularity exploded in the 90s and since then it has continued to be considered one of the best daylilies for gardens everywhere!
Same experience as tonytomeo – purchased for a 50th (golden) anniversary and of all the daylilies that were here or came my way, the only one that would not bloom although in ideal conditions was the Stella de Oro!!
This was the only cultivar of daylily that I ever actually paid money for, and it is also the only cultivar to not survive. The others that were already in the landscape grow like weeds, and have been divided and added to other landscapes, . . . and will eventually need to be shared with neighbors because they are so prolific!