Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Primal Scream Daylily: Giant Tangerine Spiders Behind the Lavender
Save
Primal Scream daylily lives up to its name. Its flowers are enormous, 7.5 to 8.5 inches across, with long, narrow petals that twist and curl back in glowing tangerine orange dusted with gold, loosely ruffled edges and a green throat. It is classified as an unusual form, which is the polite way of saying it looks like a giant orange spider.
It won the Stout Silver Medal, the highest honor for daylilies, in 2003. Behind a row of purple lavender, those huge orange blooms make about the boldest contrast a summer garden can offer.
Primal Scream at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hemerocallis 'Primal Scream' |
| Flowers | Tangerine orange with gold dusting and a green throat, 7.5 to 8.5 inches across |
| Form | Unusual form: narrow, twisted, recurved petals |
| Size | Scapes about 34 inches; foliage about 20 inches; 18 to 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-July, peaks late July, one main flush over several weeks |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun to light part shade |
| Deer | Susceptible |
Staging a big plant
With scapes near three feet, Primal Scream belongs at the back. Plant a clump or two behind lavender so the purple spikes fill the foreground and the orange flowers sway above them. Orange and purple sit opposite each other on the color wheel, so each makes the other look brighter. It also blooms in mid to late July, carrying color through the stretch when many lavenders have been harvested.
One clump is a focal point. A row along a fence is a statement your neighbors will mention. Either way, leave space so the arching leaves do not lean onto lavender mounds, which need airflow around their crowns. Plan it in the Companion Plant Planner.
Growing tips
- Sun: very heat tolerant and blooms best in full sun. Flowers hold up well through hot midsummer days.
- Soil: average and well drained. Once established it handles heat, clay and dry spells.
- Daily tidying: each bloom lasts a day; snap off faded ones for a neat look.
- After bloom: cut bare scapes to the base.
- Wet summers: blooms can spot after rain, and leaf streak is more common.
Fall and winter
Primal Scream is a dormant type that dies back completely in fall, and it is fully hardy in Michigan. Clean up the foliage after a hard frost and avoid soggy winter soil, which can rot the crown.
About the bare root plant
It is offered as a dormant bare root plant. Spread the roots over a small mound in a wide hole, set the crown about an inch below the surface, firm the soil and water well. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
What does unusual form mean for a daylily?
It describes daylilies with narrow petals that twist, curl or pinch, rather than the rounded, full shape of a classic daylily.
Is it safe for cats?
No. All parts of daylilies are toxic to cats.
Will it rebloom?
It has one main flush that lasts several weeks from mid-July rather than a strong repeat bloom.
Share how it went in your field