Tetraploid daylily (Hemerocallis 'Ruffles Elegante')
Hemerocallis 'Ruffles Elegante' is a showy Tetraploid daylily cherished for its lilac-pink blooms and fragrance, perfect for low-maintenance gardens.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ is a striking herbaceous perennial valued by gardeners for its resilience and vibrant display. As a proud Tetraploid daylily, it often boasts superior bloom substance and slightly thicker scapes compared to older diploid varieties. This cultivar delights observers with its 5-inch lilac-pink flowers, each accented by a glowing gold-green throat, providing significant mid-summer color.
Known for being extremely adaptable, this daylily thrives in a wide range of conditions, boasting a low maintenance requirement once established. Its reliable performance and resistance to common stresses like rabbit browsing and air pollution make Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ an excellent structural backbone for perennial borders throughout its long blooming season.
With foliage reaching up to three feet tall, it offers consistent texture even when not in flower. Gardeners rely on this robust Tetraploid daylily for its long season of beauty and ease of care, ensuring a lush, colorful display from July into August.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Asphodelaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 2-3 ft
- Spread: 1.5-2.5 ft
- Bloom Time: July to August
- Bloom Description: Lilac pink with gold-green throat
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Planting Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ is best achieved in the spring or fall, although spring planting is preferred in colder regions to allow root establishment before winter. These daylilies thrive in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. While tolerant of many soil types, they perform best when situated in deep, fertile loams receiving adequate sunlight. Locate them where they receive full sun for the most abundant flowering, though they tolerate part shade.
Maintenance for this low-level care plant centers on tidiness and hydration. Deadhead spent flowers daily to maintain a neat appearance, and remove the entire flower scape once blooming has finished for the season. Although tolerant of humidity and heat, appreciate deep watering during dry spells to maintain lush foliage health, especially on this Tetraploid daylily.
Daylilies require division every three to four years for optimal performance, generally executed in spring or fall. Since ‘Ruffles Elegante’ is a winter dormant type, ensure it experiences a necessary cold period; avoid planting in zones consistently above USDA Zone 9 unless you accept potentially sparse spring reawakening. Remember that hybrid daylilies, including this cultivar, will not come true from seed.
Landscape Uses
The reliable size and season-long appeal of the Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ make it a versatile element in landscape design. Its sturdy, arching foliage forms excellent texture, making it ideal for mass plantings where they can create broad sweeps of color throughout summer. They function beautifully as informal edging along walkways or mixed into established perennial borders.
These plants look particularly striking when paired with later-blooming perennials that can take over the visual interest once the mid-summer flush of the Tetraploid daylily begins to wind down. Consider companions with contrasting foliage, such as ornamental grasses or silver-leaved artemisias, to highlight the rich lilac-pink hues of the flowers.
For larger spaces, massing dozens of Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ creates a dramatic impact reminiscent of their native growing habits in open fields. While most cultivars are suited for borders, ensure you select an appropriate planting location that respects the full sun to part shade requirements for maximum bloom quality.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Fragrant
Noteworthy Characteristics
Hemerocallis is a genus of herbaceous perennials commonly known as daylilies, native primarily to Asia and central Europe, with commercial stock consisting almost entirely of hybrids developed for new colors and patterns. The common name stems from the Greek hemera (day) and kallos (beauty), as each funnel-shaped flower generally lasts only one day but is produced in great succession over a long period. Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ is specifically a tetraploid cultivar, noted for its 5-inch lilac-pink blossoms, which bloom on tall scapes rising above clean, arching linear foliage.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Erosion
- Air Pollution
Potential Problems
Daylilies are remarkably adaptable and resist most common garden issues, resulting in very low maintenance. Occasionally, pests like mites, aphids, or thrips may appear, though they rarely cause long-term damage. If you notice Daylily Rust, be prepared to manage it, as it can become problematic in certain humid climates by spotting the foliage.
Rabbits generally avoid this plant, making it a safer choice near vegetable beds or areas frequently visited by browsing wildlife. Should foliage become tattered late in the season or due to winter damage in colder reaches, the grass-like clump can be cut back to maintain a cleaner winter look for your Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Tetraploid daylily suitable for?
Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ is hardy across USDA Zones 3 through 9, offering flexibility for a wide range of climates, though Zone 9 gardens should note that dormant types prefer a cold winter rest period.
How large does the Tetraploid daylily grow?
This cultivar typically matures to a height between 2 and 3 feet, spreading moderately between 1.5 and 2.5 feet wide, forming a durable clump of foliage.
When does Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ bloom?
This variety features blooms from July to August, presenting its signature lilac pink flowers with a contrasting gold-green throat, and it may provide a repeat bloom later in the season.
What sun exposure does Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ need?
For the best performance and most abundant flowers on your Tetraploid daylily, provide full sun, though it is tolerant of partial shade conditions.
Conclusion
The Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ stands out as a superb choice for gardeners seeking beauty with minimal effort, thanks to its showy, fragrant blooms and robust adaptability. This reliable Tetraploid daylily brings reliable lilac-pink color to the mid-summer garden landscape. Before planting, verify that your USDA hardiness zone falls within the 3-9 range to ensure the healthiest, most floriferous results.
Design Ideas
Incorporating Hemerocallis ‘Ruffles Elegante’ into modern sunny borders provides excellent vertical structure. Its strong, arching foliage acts as an excellent foil for softer, more mounding groundcovers situated in front of it. Because it tolerates occasional dry spells once established, consider planting it on slopes or mild inclines where water retention might be an issue, leveraging its erosion control benefits.
When pairing this plant, utilize companions that complement its mid-to-late season bloom time. Plants that peak in spring, such as late-flowering tulips or bearded irises, will finish just as the daylily begins to ramp up, ensuring continuous visual interest. For a classic cottage garden aesthetic, combine the lilac-pink shades with creamy whites or deep blues, such as Catmint (Nepeta) or Russian Sage (Perovskia).
Companion Planting
Hemerocallis thrive alongside plants that share similar cultural needs for medium moisture and full to partial sun exposure. Good perennial neighbors include ornamental grasses, which contrast their linear leaves with feathery plumes, offering textural balance. Hostas, though favoring more shade, can be placed on the shadier margins of a daylily bed, as their broad leaves contrast nicely with the linear blades of the Tetraploid daylily.
Avoid overcrowding, as daylilies prefer good air circulation to minimize any potential fungal issues, even though they are generally pest resistant. Because all daylilies require periodic division (every 3-4 years), select companions that are similarly easy to lift and move, minimizing disruption to the whole planting bed during maintenance periods.
