Use & Care NotesCompanion Plants
Passion for Red Daylily: Big, Sunfast Blooms Behind Lavender
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Passion for Red daylily is all about size and color. Its flowers measure about 6¾ inches across, with broad tepals in vivid orange-red and a bright yellow eye and throat that shows on all six. The color is very sunfast, so it holds up in the full sun that lavender gardens get, rather than fading by afternoon.
Thick, branched scapes about 27 inches tall keep those big blooms upright over semi-evergreen foliage.
Passion for Red at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hemerocallis 'Passion for Red' |
| Flowers | About 6.75 inches, vivid orange-red with a yellow eye and throat |
| Fragrance | Light and sweet up close |
| Size | Scapes about 27 inches; foliage about 16 inches tall, 18 to 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early July, peaks mid-July, moderate rebloom |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Foliage type | Semi-evergreen |
| Deer | Susceptible |
A backdrop with presence
At 27 inches, Passion for Red is tall enough to stand behind most English lavenders without hiding them. Picture a row of purple mounds in front and big orange-red trumpets rising behind: warm against cool, round blooms against slim spikes. It is a high-contrast look, best for gardeners who like their color confident.
The two share a sunny site and soil that drains, and once established the daylily handles heat, clay and dry spells, so it will not demand extra water from the lavender's side of the bed. Leave a little space between them so air moves around the lavender crowns. Plan the rows in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting the bare root
- Soak the roots briefly, then spread them over a small mound of soil in a wide hole.
- Set the crown about an inch below the surface and firm the soil around it.
- Water deeply and keep the soil lightly moist until new leaves are growing.
- A light mulch the first winter helps prevent heaving; keep it off the crown itself.
Care after the first year
- Sun: at least six hours for the best bloom. It is very heat tolerant.
- Deadheading: each flower lasts a day. Remove spent scapes promptly after the main flush to coax a later round.
- Problems: generally trouble-free; watch for leaf streak in wet years and crown rot in soggy soil.
- Dividing: lift and split clumps every few years when bloom slows.
Good to know
All parts of daylilies are toxic to cats, so keep it away from spots where cats like to chew. Deer also like daylilies. The flowers are not good for cutting, since each lasts a single day, but on the plant they put on a strong show. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Will the color fade in full sun?
Passion for Red is known for very sunfast color, so it holds up well in bright sites.
Does it rebloom?
It has a big early July show with moderate rebloom later in summer, especially if spent scapes are removed.
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