There is much controversy on the subject. They are crunchy and mildly "green" flavored (maybe like grass or fresh hay)...I can see why cats would like them. Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on April 03, 2015: Real interesting hub. You can eat these raw or cooked. Your anecdotal experience needs more attention. For more information on identifying daylilies, take a look at this excellent photo guide on how to identify daylilies. Most of the problem is making sure the right plant is identified. [12] X Research source Fried daylilies can be served as a side dish. The lily from the family Liliaceae, commonly called "Tiger Lily". Edible flowers are a fun and easy way to add color and flavor to all sorts of dishes — especially when you can pick them right from your own garden. I will rather not eat them. I have grown both daylilies as well as tiger lilies in the past. Useful & Interesting. Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on July 18, 2012: Interesting hub for sure! You can eat the beans of these trailing plants and the flowers, too. :). Use caution when eating daylilies Make sure it is a daylily (Hemerocallis) and not a poisonous Asiatic lily or something else. What an amazing Hub! The American Hemerocallis Society takes no stand on whether daylilies are toxic to cats and cows. There is doubt about eating these very nutritious (although not always tasty) plants. They are at their best in late fall or winter after they have stored nutrients from summer growth. I'm still training myself to eat nasturtiums. Thank you for the great info. Dandelions are as adventurous as I get :) Unless, of course, you want to count the times I've eaten mud, bugs, grass (and no, not the funny kind) and swallowed gallons of nasty ocean water. They do grow in my garden. I've eaten many day-lilies and will continue. What a Wonderful and most Informative Hub, Sally. Looks fancy on a dessert plate. I just pinch the blooms and enjoy the light texture and crunch. People living in Asian cultures have incorporated daylilies into their cuisine; however, it has not become common in mainstream North American cuisine. If y'all haven't tried daylilies for food, I hope this hub gives you the information you need to make a decision. Phyllis Doyle Burns from High desert of Nevada. Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on December 05, 2012: Millionaire Tips, I must say I'm not crazy about the taste of daylilies unless they are batter-fried, where all the taste is in the breading. Dip the buds into the batter and then fry in oil for approximately one minute, or until the buds are crisp. By using our site, you agree to our. Lily leaves, on the other hand, are more lance- or arrow-shaped and grow from a prominent stalk. I'm sure they're better for us than iceberg lettuce. Just to add to the confusion over whether we humans should eat our daylilies, MerriwetherForager, a Ph.D. research chemist and naturalist, advises that you stick to Hemerocallis fulva, the most well-known daylily species, and avoid the newer hybrids, some of which may be toxic. Plants are In order to make a simple batter, mix together 1 cup (236 ml) of flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1/2 a teaspoon of salt. Daylilies are chosen as ornamental Rinse fresh flowers gently, keeping an eye out for ants hidden deep in the bloom. @Pamela-anne, I know what you mean about enjoying them in the garden but not necessarily in the garden salad. Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on June 22, 2012: Stephanie Henkel, thanks for sharing this great story. But never use them fresh. I still have a couple of scapes that will have a blossom or two soon. Thanks for reading and commenting, Debbie. Do not try to eat a true lily. Experts say the safest way to eat edible flowers is to grow them yourself. In my country, they used roses and lotuses in some of their dishes. Actually, one of the great things about daylily tubers is that you can eat them anytime you can dig them (so, not during the January freeze, say). i may be able to find them in the eatable plant section of my grocers. Let me watch you eat the plant. Stella de Oro daylilies at the peak of their spring bloom. Great source of food in the woods and tasty. The blog post is short. Sherri (author) from Southeastern Pennsylvania on July 17, 2012: moonlake, you are not alone! Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 9,942 times. Just the leaves. When you pick a daylily flower, make sure to include the bulb near the base of the flower. I love tiger lilies and day lilies and never thought they could be edible. A friend of mine has planted them for erosion control...once these beauties establish themselves, it takes a tsunami to dislodge them. Voted up, well-written and well-presented :). If so, you may have slugs. Once you have finished cooking them, toss the tubers with butter and add salt and pepper to taste. Cutting back daylily shoots will not prevent the plant from growing. That leaves a gardener with a choice. Voted up and interesting. What you can be sure of is this: If a lily-looking flower has a down-hanging aspect, with its petals curled upwards, then it’s not a daylily. Three years ago, I visited my hometown in Taipei, Taiwan. These can be replanted and will continue to grow. Beautiful on top of a colourful salad! Voted up and interesting. At the same time, they produce an enormous amount of edible material. I think I will stick to dandelion wine, thanks :). wikiHow's. TY so much for your comment. Daylily flowers have a sweet flavour and can actually be enjoyed raw. I ate a bunch of them about 35 years ago..Sauteed them in a little butter and they were fabulous. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5a\/Eat-Daylilies-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Eat-Daylilies-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5a\/Eat-Daylilies-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid8858595-v4-728px-Eat-Daylilies-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"