Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Pardon Me Daylily: Small Cranberry Reds From July Into Fall
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Pardon Me daylily has been a favorite since the early 1980s, and it has collected honors from daylily growers along the way. Its small flowers, about 2¾ inches across, are cranberry red with pie-crust ruffled edges, a narrow yellow watermark and a bright green throat. They are lightly fragrant and arrive in quantity on a compact plant.
In Michigan it starts in mid-July and keeps going well into fall, which makes it one of the longest-flowering small reds around.
Pardon Me at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hemerocallis 'Pardon Me' |
| Flowers | About 2.75 inches, cranberry red, yellow watermark, green throat |
| Fragrance | Light and sweet up close |
| Size | Scapes about 18 inches; foliage about 11 inches tall, 18 to 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-July, peaks early August, high rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun to light part shade, at least six hours |
| Deer | Susceptible |
A long-season partner for lavender
Lavender's peak is early summer. Pardon Me barely gets started until mid-July, and then it does not quit, so the two make a relay rather than a duet. Once the lavender has been harvested or sheared, the cranberry flowers take over the front of the bed into fall.
The size is right for edging: the 18-inch scapes stay below most lavender, and the arching leaves soften a hard path edge. Both plants want sun and soil that does not stay wet, and the daylily handles clay and dry spells once established. Keep the clumps a little forward of the lavender so they do not crowd its crowns. Plan the row in the Companion Plant Planner.
Care through the season
- Deadheading: each flower lasts a day. Snap off spent blooms and pull finished scapes to keep the rebloom coming.
- Color: dark petals can fade or scorch in strong afternoon sun; a touch of afternoon shade keeps them richest.
- Problems: generally trouble-free. Watch for leaf streak in wet years and crown rot in soggy soil.
- Fall: it is a dormant type that dies back fully. Clean up the foliage after a hard frost.
- Dividing: split crowded clumps every few years.
Edging, pots and slopes
Pardon Me works as a low mass planting on a slope, a repeated edging along a walk or a single plant in a container. The bare root plant goes in with the crown about an inch below the soil, roots spread over a small mound. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pardon Me safe for cats?
No. All parts of daylilies are toxic to cats.
Is there a double form?
Yes, a double sport of Pardon Me exists, but this listing is the classic single.
Can I cut the flowers?
Daylilies make poor cut flowers since each bloom lasts one day. Enjoy them in the garden.
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