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Will-Orange-Roadside-Lilies-Affect-the-Color-of-Other-Daylilies.jpg

Will Orange Roadside Lilies Affect the Color of Other Daylilies?

I have daylilies around my home, all different varieties and colors. Someone told me that the orange lilies growing along the roadside will mix with my hybrids and turn them all orange. Will this really happen? If so, is there anything I can do?

No reason to worry about your daylilies being adversely influenced by the orange daylilies many call “ditch lilies”. When plants cross pollinate the changes appear in their offspring not the parent plants. So if your collection of daylilies cross pollinate with each other or the orange ones along the road the offspring not original plants will vary in appearance. The confusion comes from the fact the tough orange daylily often out competes the hybrids and if allowed may take over the garden. This is why many gardeners think their hybrids have changed to the orange daylily. Deadhead daylilies for a neater appearance and to prevent reseeding. Or weed out any unwanted offspring to keep your desirable hybrids the stars of the landscape. 

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