Wild Daylilies (Hemerocallis fulva) are starting to appear and open a bit early here, as these tawny beauties were doing yesterday.
However, these floral emblems of high summer may be not what many people think they are. In the first place, Daylilies are not really lilies. They belong to the genus Hemerocallis, from the Greek words “beautiful” and “day” because each bloom lasts only about a day. The genus of true Lilies is Lilium, from the Greek name for white lily flowers.
Second, although many are wild, Daylilies are not native. They originated in Asia and were introduced here by our European colonists. Third, their flowers are tasty vegetables that can be eaten raw or cooked, as many in Asia do.
Nonetheless, there’s no doubt that the sight of swaying Daylilies while driving along a Maine rural road is a typical summer delight here. (Brooklin, Maine)