The ‘Red Velvet Cake’ daylily (Hemerocallis) is a highly popular, cold-hardy perennial known for its striking, deeply saturated red blossoms that feature a distinct velvety texture and a contrasting yellow-green throat. [1, 2, 3]
Key Characteristics
- Flower Size: Produces large, 6-inch blooms.
- Plant Height: Typically grows to about 28 inches tall.
- Bloom Season: Flowers during the mid-season.
- Foliage Type: Dormant foliage, meaning it dies back in the winter in colder climates.
- Genetics: It is a tetraploid daylily (meaning it has four sets of chromosomes). [1]
Origins
The ‘Red Velvet Cake’ cultivar was developed by hybridizer Tom J. Hughes and registered with the American Daylily Society in 1990. It was bred by crossing the cultivars ‘Christmas Wreath’ and ‘Apple Tart’. [1]
Care Tips
- Light: Thrives in full sun to partial shade (a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight is recommended for the best color).
- Soil: Adapts well to various soil types but prefers moist, well-draining, and nutrient-rich soil.
- Hardiness: Highly adaptable and suitable for a wide variety of growing zones. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
