Hemerocallis multiflora aka Many Flower Day Lily

Hemerocallis multiflora is the many-flowered daylily, a perennial in the Asphodelaceae family. It comes from Henan in China, within temperate Asia. There, it grows in hill forests and clearings on hilltops. Its recorded habitat lies at 2,300–3,280 feet [700–1,000 metres]. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. Plants reach about 3.3 feet [1 metre] tall. Their spread reaches about 1.6 feet [0.5 metres].

Flowers appear from July to September. Each flower lasts briefly, but more blooms follow through the season. One scape can carry 75 to 100 blooms. The flowers are small for a daylily. Each flower has both male and female organs. This species crosses freely with other members of its genus. Its roots have some flesh, with a swollen, tuberous section near each tip.

Give this plant sun and rich, moist soil for good growth. It also accepts partial shade, though shade reduces flowering. Flowers may last longer in a shaded spot. It grows in sandy soil, loam, and heavy clay. It can also cope with dry soil. A pH of 6–7 suits it best. It tolerates mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline conditions. Plants resist frost and suit USDA zones 4–8. After a move, they may need one or two years to settle.

Suitable garden sites include beds, meadows, and sunny woodland edges. It also grows in dappled shade. It can grow among short grass where the soil stays moist. Divide plants in spring or after flowering in late summer or autumn. Large divisions can go straight into their final sites. Grow smaller pieces under cover until they root well. Seeds can be sown under glass in mid-spring. Dried leaves provide tough material for plaited cord and footwear.

Reported food uses include young leaves, shoots, flowers, buds, and roots. Cook leaves and shoots while very young, before they become fibrous. Flowers, buds, and roots have raw or cooked uses. Dried flowers can thicken soups. However, large amounts of leaves reportedly cause hallucinations. The source mentions blanching but leaves the method unclear. This uncertainty prevents treating blanching as a reliable safety step. Reported traditional root remedies do not establish safe or effective medical use.