East Asian species daylily with pale lemon-yellow trumpet flowers that open at dusk and are powerfully lemon-fragrant overnight. The principal commercial daylily of Chinese cuisine (jin zhen, "golden needles").
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 4–9 | −34.4 °C to −1.1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H6 | −20 °C to −15 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 4–8 | −29 °C to −1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 2–6 | −10 °C to 15 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Plant near paths and evening seating — flowers open at dusk and release strong lemon fragrance overnight, closed by mid-morning
- Edible unopened flower buds — dried as "golden needles" (jin zhen) for hot-and-sour soup, moo shu pork, and Buddhist vegetarian cooking
- WARNING: Eating raw or excessive amounts of fresh buds has caused gastric upset — Chinese tradition cooks the buds thoroughly. As with all edible daylily use, identification certainty against toxic look-alike lilies (true Lilium spp.) is essential
- Distinct from the Stella de Oro and orange ditch daylilies already in the database — H. citrina is the night-blooming fragrant species
Pet caution: Citron daylily is listed as potentially harmful to cats and/or dogs. Keep pets from grazing on it, and contact a vet if you suspect your animal has eaten some.
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Citron daylily against your zones