Hemerocallis 'PAPRIKA FLAME' daylily (tetraploid)
Symbivit Tric (arbuscular)
Symbivit (arbuscular)Hemerocallis
The genus Hemerocallis comprises roughly fifteen species of perennial herbs in the family Asphodelaceae, native to eastern Asia, where they grow along woodland margins, in grassy valleys and on moist slopes. They are characterised by grass‑like, two‑ranked leaves arising from short rhizomes and by flowering scapes bearing tubular to funnel‑shaped blooms that open for only a single day. This rhythm gave the genus its name: the Greek hemera means day and kallos beauty. The first formal description was published by Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778), yet several species had been cultivated in China for millennia as medicinal plants and vegetables. Daylilies reached Europe in the sixteenth century, but true breeding progress began only in the twentieth century in the United States, where thousands of cultivars were created with an astonishing range of colours, shapes, sizes and flower types. Modern collections include miniature forms, giant blooms, spider types, doubles and extremely free‑flowering lines that have placed daylilies among the most widely grown perennials in the world.
Daylilies have accompanied people for centuries, acquiring surprisingly different meanings across cultures. In China they were valued as medicinal plants, and their flower buds – the ‘golden needles’ – are still used in cooking as a delicate vegetable; at the same time they are regarded as a flower of forgetting one’s worries, as they were traditionally given as a gesture of comfort and care, a symbolism reflected in old literary and poetic records. In Korea they symbolised motherhood and feminine devotion, while in Japan they appear in poetry as an image of transience, opening in the morning and fading by evening. In European gardens they became popular for their reliability, longevity and ability to flower throughout summer with minimal care. And although each bloom lasts only a single day, the plant produces so many that a border appears as a continuously renewed wave of colour. Modern breeding has brought a spectacular array of colours and flower forms, from cream, lemon yellow, apricot, pink, red and wine shades to almost black tones, together with bold edges, bands, veining and ruffled margins that have made daylilies one of the most variable perennials of today. With a touch of humour, yet entirely deservedly, they are also counted among the plants described as “foolproof”, because they survive almost anything even the most inexperienced gardener might do to them.
Paprika Flame is a brilliantly coloured tetraploid daylily that looks like an explosion on a Moroccan spice market. Can you imagine a burst of paprika, saffron, and turmeric? That’s exactly the palette blended into this double-blooming cultivar. It bears flowers about 12 cm wide, in deep orange to reddish-orange tones with a darker center and golden throat. The petals are gently ruffled with a soft frill. It blooms in July, sometimes into August, and is a reliable rebloomer. The flowers appear on scapes about 60 cm tall, rising above a compact clump of medium-green, arching foliage. Its habit is sturdy, and the clump holds its shape well without support. In the garden, it is unmissable — both for its vivid color and the bold form of its blooms.
The ‘Paprika Flame’ cultivar was introduced by American hybridizer David Kirchhoff, who registered it in 2000. Kirchhoff was one of the most influential figures in modern daylily breeding — not only as a creator, but also as a passionate advocate. He had a keen eye for composition: his daylilies weren’t just flowers, but living images with a place and purpose in the garden. Together with his colleague Mort Morss, he ran the Daylily World hybridizing program in Kentucky, where dozens of cultivars were developed, known for their intense color, fragrance, and reblooming ability. He was also active in the American Hemerocallis Society (AHS), serving as its president and later as editor of its journal. His work influenced an entire generation of breeders — not only technically, but aesthetically.
Daylilies thrive in full sun or light partial shade and grow best in deeper, fertile, well‑drained yet consistently slightly moist soils. Thanks to their fleshy roots (rhizomes) they tolerate even prolonged dry periods without damage. They flower most abundantly in sunny positions and when clumps are divided every four to six years, which maintains vigour and prevents congestion in the centre. After flowering, the foliage of some cultivars may look tired, so it is advisable to remove the entire spent scapes and, when needed, the oldest or damaged leaves to maintain a clean appearance and encourage further blooming. Young shoots can be attractive to small shelled slugs, which slightly damage them visually, particularly in moist spring weather. The roots are very hardy in the ground and overwinter reliably even in severe winters; most cultivars tolerate temperatures down to around –40 °C (USDA zone 3). In containers they perform well only in sufficiently large pots with quality substrate, regular watering, feeding and protection from summer overheating, otherwise they dry out quickly and reduce flowering. They are long‑lived, reliable, undemanding and generally free from serious pests and diseases.
Last update 11-11-2025
Daylilies thrive in full sun or light partial shade and grow best in deeper, fertile, well‑drained yet consistently slightly moist soils. Thanks to their fleshy roots (rhizomes) they tolerate even prolonged dry periods without damage. They flower most abundantly in sunny positions and when clumps are divided every four to six years, which maintains vigour and prevents congestion in the centre. After flowering, the foliage of some cultivars may look tired, so it is advisable to remove the entire spent scapes and, when needed, the oldest or damaged leaves to maintain a clean appearance and encourage further blooming. Young shoots can be attractive to small shelled slugs, which slightly damage them visually, particularly in moist spring weather. The roots are very hardy in the ground and overwinter reliably even in severe winters; most cultivars tolerate temperatures down to around –40 °C (USDA zone 3). In containers they perform well only in sufficiently large pots with quality substrate, regular watering, feeding and protection from summer overheating, otherwise they dry out quickly and reduce flowering. They are long‑lived, reliable, undemanding and generally free from serious pests and diseases.
