Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 20, 1993 TAG: 9308260254
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Patricia Held
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
This plant grows everywhere and adapts to almost any soil. It can take full sun or partial shade, parched dry conditions or damp spots along riverbeds. Where I grew up, we had day lilies growing all along a beachfront that was subjected to high tidal waters. It is no wonder this plant easily became naturalized in the United States.
The orange day lily originated in central China, where it was cultivated as a food. The buds were eaten as a spring tonic and an early summer delicacy and also were dried and used throughout the year for both food and medicine.
It was believed that a powder produced from the buds could relieve pain, purify the kidneys and favor the birth of a son. The day lily was often called the ``plant of forgetfulness'' because it supposedly dispelled grief by causing the loss of memory.
Along with the rhubarb, day lilies were carried in caravans that followed the silk routes to Eastern Europe. Here, the flower was worth its weight in gold.
By the late 1500s the day lily reached England, where its adaptability as a garden plant was recognized and prized. Its endurance was a promise of the future and the blossoms a pleasure to behold. It was so admired in England that it was one of the first plants to be carried to the colonies.
\ Borne on densely branched stalks and surrounded by long tapered leaves, day lily flowers are funnel-shaped blossoms of a bright orange color. Each flower blooms for just one day and then it withers. Every day a new blossom opens, hence the name.
The day lily grows very easily from seed as well as spreading from its rootstocks. In a short period one plant will spread into a huge clump of plants. These act as perfect fortifiers along riverbanks, provide good ground cover and give fresh green colors with orange blossoms to an area.
Euel Gibbons, the well-known wild-food enthusiast, described the day lily as a "double-barreled food producer." The flower is a delicious vegetable, and its underground tuber is edible as well.
Day lilies are the type of food that everyone likes. While some wild edibles take some getting used to, day lilies fast become a favorite. They can be eaten at all stages of development. The immature flower buds, the shrivelled blossoms, the tubers and young shoots can all be eaten. Chances are good you've eaten day lily blossoms. They are often included in moo shu pork as well as other Chinese dishes.
To prepare the unopened buds boil them for just a few minutes and serve with butter and pepper. Another method is to make day lily fritters by dipping them in a batter and then deep-frying them in peanut oil.
Dried blossoms are a popular item in Chinese grocery stores. The closed and withered blossoms of yesterday are just as edible as the fresh young flower buds. The dried flowers can be added to soups and stews and act as a thickening agent, somewhat like okra.
The tubers are dug from the ground at any time. These root clusters are found directly under the plant. Eaten raw in a salad or quickly cooked, they are a crispy addition to any meal.
Even the sprouting stalks are edible. Cut the greens just above the roots and enjoy the tender inner portions of the stalks.
Remember: When collecting any wild plants, it is very important to make a positive identification first. Day lilies can easily be confused with the inedible tiger lily.
Patricia Held will respond to readers' questions on the plant and animal wildlife in the region. Mail inquiries to Patricia Held, P.O. Box 65, Goode, Va. 24556.
\ Patricia Held is a Bedford County free-lance writer and author specializing in natural history.
by CNB