By Paula Payne Paynes in the Grass Daylilies
It’s hard to convince folks not to overlook miniature daylilies when the bigger ones can offer so many different options. But minis are a group unto themselves. A flower is not considered a mini unless the diameter of the flower measures less than three inches.
The height of the scape isn’t considered when deciding if a daylily is a mini or not. The scape could be tall, medium, or short. It’s only the size of the flower that counts. In the first registrations minis were considerably taller than they are now so the appearance was not always complimentary. But hybridizers have really worked on that in recent years to create and produce a more pleasing appearance.
I always hate to see people ignore the minis. To me they seem to produce so many more blooms than the larger flowered daylilies so that when they bloom, they produce their own bouquets. And with the scape heights more in association with the size of the flowers, they are so much more useful because they can be used in so many ways.
They can be used as a bedding plants that will provide greenery all year long or they can offer variety to any perennial bed. They also come in all different colors as well as double varieties. Some people call the double minis a ‘popcorn’ daylily since the size of the double blooms resemble popcorn kernels. But no matter what size daylily one chooses to plant, one can never go wrong. The garden will always be welcoming with something new every day
