Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Erin Lea Daylily: Ruffled Gold to Light Up Purple Lavender
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Erin Lea daylily carries broad, flat-opening flowers 5½ to 6 inches across in one solid shade of sunny golden yellow. The petal edges are fringed with frilly ruffles, which makes each bloom look even bigger than it is. Flowers stay fresh for 16 hours or more, and the plant keeps producing new buds through the season.
Yellow and purple sit across from each other on the color wheel, so Erin Lea and lavender make one of the simplest high-contrast pairings in a sunny garden.
Erin Lea at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hemerocallis 'Erin Lea' |
| Flowers | Sunny golden yellow, ruffled, 5½ to 6 inches across |
| Bloom | Starts early July, peaks mid-July, reblooms into late summer |
| Size | Scapes about 24 inches; foliage clump 18 to 24 inches wide |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun to light part shade |
| Foliage | Medium green, arching, dies back in winter |
| Deer | Susceptible |
Pairing it with lavender
Erin Lea starts blooming in early July, right as many English lavenders hit their peak, so the gold and purple show up together. Its arching, strap-shaped leaves also bring a softer, fountain-like texture to a bed full of upright lavender spikes. After the main lavender bloom is cut, the daylily's rebloom keeps color going into late summer.
Place it in front of taller lavenders or between groups of them, leaving enough space that the daylily's leaves do not flop over the lavender crowns and hold moisture there. Lay out the spacing in the Companion Plant Planner before you dig.
Planting a bare root daylily
- Soak the roots in water for an hour or so while you prepare the hole.
- Dig a wide hole and build a small mound of soil in the center.
- Spread the roots over the mound with the crown, where roots meet leaves, about an inch below the soil surface.
- Backfill, firm gently and water well.
Erin Lea is offered as a bare root plant. See the product page for current availability.
Care through the season
- Sun: at least six hours for the best bloom.
- Water: steady water the first season. Once established it handles heat, clay and dry spells.
- Deadheading: each flower lasts a day, so snap off spent blooms and pull finished scapes to encourage rebloom.
- Problems: generally trouble-free. Leaf streak can show up in wet summers, and soggy soil invites crown rot.
- Fall: it is a dormant type that dies back completely. Clean up the foliage after a hard frost.
Frequently asked questions
Is Erin Lea safe around cats?
No. All parts of daylilies are toxic to cats, so plant it where indoor-outdoor cats will not chew on it, and keep cut flowers out of the house if you have cats.
Can I eat this daylily?
Erin Lea is grown as an ornamental, not for eating.
How often should I divide it?
Every few years, when the clump gets crowded or flowering slows. Spring or early fall both work well.
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