How to Grow Daylily Cherry Cheeks

Daylily Cherry Cheeks

Hemerocallis 'Cherry Cheeks'

flower

Cherry Cheeks is a stunning daylily cultivar featuring large, ruffled blooms with deep red or burgundy petals and a golden-yellow throat marked with red stippling. This herbaceous perennial produces flowers that bloom for a single day but flowers prolifically over many weeks. It's a hardy, low-maintenance garden staple that returns reliably year after year.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun to part shade; 6+ hours of direct sunlight daily produces best blooms

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Water: Moderate; water deeply once or twice weekly during the growing season. Drought-tolerant once established. Reduce watering in winter dormancy.

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Spacing: 18-24 inches

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Days to maturity: Flowers appear 1-2 years from transplant; established plants bloom reliably each season

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Planting depth: Crown at soil level; do not bury the crown

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy to clay loam soil

pH: 5.5-7.0

Amendments:

Compost or aged manure for organic matter Sand or perlite if drainage is poor

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 3-10; extremely hardy and adaptable

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b

Growth Stages

Dormancy

December-February (varies by zone)

Plant lies dormant underground during winter months with no visible above-ground growth.

Reduce watering significantly. Mulch lightly to protect the crown from extreme cold in harsh zones.

Spring Emergence

March-May

Strap-like green foliage emerges from the ground as temperatures warm; clumps of leaves develop.

Begin regular watering. Apply balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) as growth starts. Remove any dead foliage from previous season.

Vegetative Growth

May-June

Lush mounds of arching, linear green foliage grow vigorously. No flowers yet; plant focuses on building leaf mass.

Water consistently and deeply. Fertilize monthly with balanced or bloom-promoting fertilizer (higher phosphorus).

Flowering

June-August (peak bloom 3-8 weeks)

Multiple flower buds emerge on tall scapes above the foliage. Large ruffled blooms with deep red petals and golden-yellow throats open daily for a few weeks or months depending on variety type.

Maintain consistent moisture. Deadhead spent flowers (they drop naturally). Continue fertilizing to extend bloom time. Stake tall varieties if necessary.

Post-Bloom & Rest

August-November

Flowering slows; foliage remains green and photosynthetic. Seed pods may develop if flowers were pollinated.

Reduce fertilizer frequency. Cut back spent scapes once all buds have bloomed. Maintain moderate watering.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Coreopsis Rudbeckia Salvia Russian Sage Catmint Ornamental grasses Lilies Coneflowers

Avoid planting near:

Plants requiring constantly moist soil Competing perennials with invasive rhizomes

Common Pests

Spray with water to dislodge; use neem oil or insecticidal soap if severe. Improve air circulation.
Spray with strong water stream; use insecticidal soap or neem oil. Encourage beneficial insects.
Remove affected flowers; spray with neem oil or spinosad. Reduce nitrogen fertilizer which promotes susceptibility.
and
Hand-pick; use diatomaceous earth or copper tape barriers. Beer traps and predatory beetles help.

Uses

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Edible Flowers & Buds

Culinary

Daylily buds and flowers are edible in many cuisines, particularly Asian cooking. Buds can be stir-fried, steamed, or dried for later use, with a delicate, slightly sweet flavor. [source]

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Traditional Medicine

Medicinal

In traditional Chinese medicine, daylily flowers (called 'golden needles') are used to promote relaxation and are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. [source]

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Cut Flower Arrangements

Craft

The striking blooms with ruffled petals make excellent short-lived cut flowers for floral arrangements and displays. Pick in morning for longest vase life. [source]

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Ornamental Landscaping

Household

Cherry Cheeks is prized as a landscape perennial for borders, mass plantings, and mixed gardens. Its reliable, showy blooms and low maintenance make it a garden workhorse. [source]

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Pollinator Support

Wildlife

The bright, open flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, providing valuable nectar and pollen for pollinators throughout the blooming season. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Daylilies are ornamental flowers not typically harvested, but buds can be picked just before opening for fresh arrangements (they will bloom indoors). Some cultures eat daylily buds and flowers fresh or dried in culinary dishes—harvest in early morning when fully developed but not yet opened.

Fun Facts

🌱 Each flower of a daylily blooms for only one day (hence the name), opening in the morning and closing by evening. However, a single plant produces multiple buds in succession, providing weeks or months of continuous blooms.
🌱 Daylilies are named Hemerocallis from Greek words 'hemera' (day) and 'kallos' (beauty), literally meaning 'beauty for a day.' There are over 35,000 registered daylily cultivars worldwide, making them one of the most hybridized ornamental plants.
🌱 Cherry Cheeks and other red daylilies are relatively modern developments; most wild daylilies are yellow. The breeding of deep red, burgundy, and bi-color varieties expanded dramatically in the late 20th century through deliberate hybridization programs.

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