Deadheading is a common gardening practice that involves removing spent or faded flowers before they can form seeds. For daylilies, or Hemerocallis, this maintenance is a two-part process that ensures the plant focuses its resources on producing new blooms and strengthening its structure. Because each daylily flower lasts only a single day, a consistent routine is needed to maintain a vibrant, tidy display throughout the flowering season. This method of ongoing care helps daylilies look their best and influences their performance.
Benefits of Removing Spent Blooms
The primary reason to deadhead daylilies is to redirect the plant’s stored energy away from seed formation. Once a flower is pollinated, the plant’s biological imperative shifts to creating a seed pod, which requires a substantial energy investment. By removing the spent bloom before a seed pod can develop, you encourage the plant to channel photosynthetic energy back into the crown and root system. This redirection of resources promotes stronger root development and general plant vigor for the following season. For reblooming cultivars like ‘Stella de Oro,’ this practice signals the plant to produce new flower stalks for a second flush of blossoms.
Step-by-Step: Removing Individual Dead Flowers
The first step in daylily maintenance is the regular removal of individual flowers that have finished their single day of display. Daylily blooms wilt and shrivel, often turning a sticky, unattractive brown color as they fade. This daily or bi-weekly attention is performed while the main flower stalk, known as the scape, is still actively producing new buds. The goal is to remove the entire spent flower structure, including the swollen base that contains the ovary, which will become the seed pod.
You can use your fingers for this task, gently pinching the faded bloom where it connects to the scape. Alternatively, small scissors or pointed snips can make a clean, precise cut. Remove the spent flower just beneath its base, being careful not to damage the adjacent, unopened flower buds further up the stalk. Damaging these developing buds will prematurely stop the flower production on that particular scape. The continuous removal of these individual flowers ensures the plant remains neat and encourages the scape to complete its full bloom cycle without wasting energy on seed production.
Seasonal Maintenance: When and How to Cut the Scape
The second, less frequent task is the seasonal removal of the entire flower stalk, or scape, once all the buds on it have bloomed. The scape is the leafless stalk that rises above the foliage, carrying the flowers. You should wait until every single bud on a given stalk has opened and faded, making sure no new flower production is possible. The visual cue that a scape is ready for removal is when it begins to turn entirely yellow or brown and becomes dry.
This final cut signals the end of the flowering cycle for that particular stalk. Use clean, sharp bypass pruners to cut the spent scape close to the ground, taking care not to nick the surrounding fan of leaves. Cutting the scape low removes the dead, unsightly material that could harbor pests or disease. By fully removing the spent flower stalk, the plant can now direct all its remaining energy into building up its crown and roots for robust growth and abundant flowering in the next season.