Hemerocallis minor aka Dwarf Yellow Day Lily

Hemerocallis minor is a small perennial known as dwarf yellow daylily. Grass-leaved daylily is another name for this species. It belongs to the Asphodelaceae family and comes from temperate Asia. Its native range runs from Siberia to Korea. It also grows in Mongolia and northern China. Wild plants occur in wet meadows and sandy upland sites. They also grow in woodland clearings, scrub, and mountain slopes.

Garden plants reach 1–2 feet [0.3–0.61 metres] tall. Clumps spread to about 1 foot [0.3 metres] wide. Narrow green leaves arch out from the plant's base. Their edges are smooth, and they have no hairs. The leaves form a low clump beneath upright flower stems. These bare stems reach about 1–1.5 feet [0.3–0.46 metres]. The plant grows at a moderate rate and spreads in clumps. Growers have used it to breed small daylilies.

Yellow, cup-shaped flowers have six petals and grow singly. Each flower lasts just one day. Most sources place bloom in May and June. Chicago Botanic Garden records a later season, from July through August. Flowers measure about 0.08–0.25 feet [0.025–0.076 metres] across. Brown seed capsules have three parts and appear in summer. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers. The arching leaves keep their value after the flowers fade.

Grow this daylily in sun or part shade. It prefers moist soil that drains well. Rich, deep loam suits it, but many soil types work. It tolerates drought, summer heat, humidity, and urban pollution. Sources place it in USDA zones 3–9. It needs little care and suits borders, slopes, and rock gardens. Groups can form ground cover and help crowd out weeds. Rabbits tend to leave it alone, and it tolerates erosion. Divide crowded clumps to keep them growing well. Remove faded flowers and cut flower stems after bloom ends.

Sources report few serious pest or disease problems. NC State lists daylily leafminer and southern blight as possible problems. Plants For A Future records flowers, buds, roots, and young shoots as food. It also lists cooked young leaves, which become fibrous with age. That source warns that large amounts of leaves may cause hallucinations. It does not clearly explain the preparation said to remove this risk. NC State flags this plant as harmful to cats. Plants For A Future also records folk uses of the roots. Dried leaves have served as material for cord and footwear.