Daylily Companion Plants – Learn What To Plant With Daylily

dayliliy companions
dayliliy companions
(Image credit: RobertSchneider)

Companion planting is an important aspect of setting up any garden. Sometimes it involves pairing plants commonly attacked by bugs with plants that drive those bugs away. Sometimes it involves pairing heavy feeders with nitrogen fixers, like peas. Sometimes, however, it’s purely aesthetic. Daylilies are long blooming, brightly colored perennials that are extremely popular in gardens. They’re especially popular mixed in with other flowers, and the key to finding the best daylily companion plants is deciding which colors and heights work best for an overall effect. Keep reading to learn more about picking the right flowers to plant with daylilies.

Daylily Companion Plants

There are a few basic guidelines to consider when choosing companions for daylilies. First of all, daylilies prefer full sun or at least very light shade, so any companion plants for daylily plants should have similar requirements. Be careful, though-- don’t plant anything taller than your daylilies, or else you’ll accidentally create shade in your sunny spot. Daylilies also like well-drained, rich, slightly acidic soil, so stick to plants that like the same. Avoid planting daylilies under trees, as the shade will stunt their growth and the tree roots will get in the way of the lilies’ own extensive root system.

What to Plant with Daylily

There are plenty of good daylily companion plants. Daylilies will bloom all through the summer, so plant them interspersed with a variety of plants that bloom at different times to keep your garden looking full and interesting. Some good flowers to plant with daylilies include:

Although daylilies look amazing scattered with other blooms, you don’t have to restrict yourself to plants known only for their flowers. Some good companions for daylilies that have striking foliage as well include Russian sage, hosta, and heuchera.

Liz Baessler
Senior Editor

The only child of a horticulturist and an English teacher, Liz Baessler was destined to become a gardening editor. She has been with Gardening Know how since 2015, and a Senior Editor since 2020. She holds a BA in English from Brandeis University and an MA in English from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. After years of gardening in containers and community garden plots, she finally has a backyard of her own, which she is systematically filling with vegetables and flowers.